The first woman to go to space was Valentina Tereshkova, a Soviet cosmonaut. She launched aboard the Vostok 6 on June 16, 1963, becoming not only the first woman in space but also the first woman to fly solo in space. Her mission lasted nearly three days, during which she orbited Earth 48 times, providing invaluable data on the effects of space travel on the female body. Tereshkova's historic flight broke significant barriers for women in aerospace, symbolizing progress in gender equality and inspiring future generations of female astronauts to pursue careers in space exploration.