The first female astronaut 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. Tereshkova completed 48 orbits around the Earth during her mission, lasting almost three days. Her groundbreaking achievement not only paved the way for future female astronauts but also highlighted the contributions of women in space exploration. Tereshkova remains an iconic figure in the history of space travel and women's achievements in science and engineering.