The first woman to fly in space was Valentina Tereshkova, a Soviet cosmonaut. She made her historic flight on June 16, 1963, aboard the Vostok 6 spacecraft, becoming the first woman to travel into space. During her three-day mission, Tereshkova orbited the Earth 48 times, gathering data on the effects of space travel on the female body. Her achievement marked a significant milestone in space exploration and represented a breakthrough for women in fields traditionally dominated by men. Tereshkova remains an iconic figure in both space history and the women's movement.