First woman in space

In 1962 the Soviet leadership decide that to maintain their leadership in the 'space race' they need to put a Soviet woman into space as soon as possible. Five women are selected to be trained as cosmonauts and after a year of training and preparation, a 26 year old Soviet Air Force Officer is chosen to attempt to become the first woman in space.

Jr. Lt. Valentina Tereshkova will be launched into orbit alone on the final Vostok series mission and will orbit the earth for almost 3 days.

In this remarkable archive footage which was classified for years Lt. Tereshkova seems completely relaxed and composed, as she is prepared for spaceflight by technicians and doctors, before being taken to the launchpad, and climbing calmly aboard the capsule.

After she is sealed inside, she waits patiently atop the rocket for two hours until the spectacular launch of Vostok 6 rocket is successfully completed, and she is carried into orbit.

Also seen briefly in this sequence is Jr. Lt. Irina Solovyova, 25, who as Tereshkova's understudy was dressed in her spacesuit, taken to the launchpad, and was ready to take Tereshkova's place, right up to the moment of lift-off.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• tereshkova
• vostok
• cosmonaut

[jack887]

I was 11 years old at the time, and remember her flight well. Sputnik, Yuri Gagarin, Valentina... the USA was in quite a turmoil over that!

[Stovokor41]

Wow. Thanks for posting this amazing video.

[Riael1111]

YAY!!!

The Soviet Union has invented the first kitchen outside the Earth!

[aure232]

@applesweeter

(1)They are promised moon and the stars so often but this way they can actually get those.

(2) Answer: Getting really high without danger of addiction

(3) Loosing weight fast and without any diet

(4) Gender equality! The laws of the Physics affects everyone regardless of sex.

[TheAngiomi]

@applesweeter

why not???

[applesweeter]

Dear All,

I have some questions about psychology:

(1) Why do female love space-travel?

(2) What is the motivation that cause females to become astronaut?

(3) How does space-travel benefiit a female in her personal development?

(4) What are the social values demonstrated by female astronaut?

THANK YOU IN ADVANCE for your creative ideas and brainstorm!!! :)

[BadBunnyRides]

@niggafrigga ...because when she heard Ivan wanted a little more space between his sandwitch and chips...she went to get some.

[PatriotArchive]

@niggafrigga

Communism, that's why.

[houghtonga]

With a single flight, she logged more flight time than the combined times of all American astronauts who had flown before that date (the Mercury missions).

[niggafrigga]

wow. why was she so far from the kitchen?

[Adeebster]

she looks like a real life ellen ripley

[MrElcharrua]

Otro gran logro de la Union sovietica, la primera mujer en el espacio Valentina tereskhova puesta en orbita un 16 de junio de 1963.