VALENTINA TERESHKOVA

«33 FACTS ABOUT VALENTINA TERESHKOVA – THE FIRST FEMALE COSMONAUT

Here is a selection of Valentina Tereshkova facts. She was the first female cosmonaut.
1. One of the main goals of sending a woman to space was to research the influence of the space environment on a woman as compared to the influence of the same conditions on a man.

2. A group of women astronauts was prepared using an accelerated program taking into account the experience of first flights–in just 6 months.

3. Training involved being in a thermal chamber with temperatures up to +70 degrees Celsius. Another exercise – 10 days in the isolation chamber in full soundproofing and insulation from the rest of the world.

4. Valentina Tereshkova led a group of five women candidates.

5. Due to the nature of a female body, each female astronaut was supposed to have two understudies.

6. Valentina Tereshkova was selected as a prime candidate for a flight based on a combination of factors, among which were her background “from lower classes” and communication skills, because after the flight the first woman-cosmonaut would have to perform a number of social functions.

7. The Soviet leader, Nikita Khrushchev, had a direct influence on the choice of her candidacy for the space flight.

8. Yuri Gagarin invested a lot of time and effort in training a group of women astronauts and Valentina Tereshkova.

9. On June 16-19 of 1963 Valentina Tereshkova completed her landmark space flight, becoming the first woman in space.

10. The flight duration was 2 days 22 hours and 50 minutes.

11. During the launch Valentina recited Mayakovsky: “The sky! Take off your hat! I’m coming!”

12. The first woman flew into space on a spaceship “Vostok-6”.

13. During the flight, the spaceship made 48 turns around the earth.

14. Valentina Tereshkova is the only female cosmonaut who completed a solo space flight.»

Fonte: To Discover Russia