Trailblazing Women in Space: Honoring First Female Astronauts and Their Historic Milestones

Pioneering women in space have left an indelible impact, shattering gender norms since Valentina Tereshkova's inaugural space journey in 1963. Commanding shuttles and achieving all-female spacewalks, these trailblazers have paved the way for future generations in space exploration.

Retired Russian cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova, poses for photographs ahead of an event at the Science Museum on March 15, 2017 in London, England.
(Photo : Leon Neal/Getty Images)

First Woman in Space

Valentina Tereshkova is hailed as the first woman in space, paving the way for subsequent female astronauts. A Soviet cosmonaut, Tereshkova, at 26, was chosen from over 400 applicants for the Vostok 6 mission on June 16, 1963. With a parachuting background, she made history as the first woman in space during a 70-hour mission, becoming a test pilot and instructor in Soviet space exploration.

Peggy Whitson: First Female Station Commander and Most Time in Space

Peggy Whitson, a NASA astronaut, achieved historic milestones in her space career. Born in Mount Ayr, Iowa, she earned a Ph.D. in biochemistry from Rice University in 1985 and joined NASA in 1989.

Whitson became the first woman to command the International Space Station (ISS) during Expedition 16 in 2008, and later, in 2016, she commanded Expedition 51, becoming the first woman to lead the ISS twice.

She also holds the record for the oldest woman in space, retiring from NASA in June 2018 after spending a total of 665 days in space. Whitson continued her space endeavors by commanding Ax-2, a private mission to the ISS operated by Axiom Space in 2023, further solidifying her legacy as the woman with the most time spent in space, totaling 675 days, 22 hours, and 22 minutes.

First Woman Spacewalker

Soviet cosmonaut Svetlana Savitskaya, the second woman in space, achieved the historic feat of the first female spacewalk during her second mission to the space station Salyut 7 in 1984. Born in Moscow, Savitskaya's determination to fly led her to join the Soviet cosmonaut corps in 1980, and she holds a master's degree in flight engineering.

First US Female Spacewalker

In October 1984, NASA astronaut Kathryn D. Sullivan made history as the first American woman to conduct a spacewalk during the STS-41-G mission. This milestone, occurring months after the first woman's spacewalk, showcased Sullivan's significant contributions to space exploration. Beyond her space achievements, Sullivan later played key roles in scientific leadership, including serving as NOAA's Administrator in 2014.

First Female Astronauts Per Country

Each country's first female astronaut contributed to space exploration, breaking barriers and inspiring future generations with their pioneering achievements in the cosmos. Here are some of them:

USA

NASA astronaut Sally Ride made history on June 18, 1983, as the first American woman in space during the STS-7 mission. Joining NASA in 1978, she later became the first American woman to fly in space twice on the Challenger's STS-41G mission in 1984, and Ride's legacy continues as a trailblazer for women in space.

UK

British food chemist Helen Sharman made history in May 1991 as the first British person in space, visiting the Mir space station aboard Soyuz TM-12. Selected through Project Juno, a collaboration with the Soviet Union, Sharman conducted experiments during her eight-day space mission and became the first woman to visit the Mir space station.

African-American

NASA astronaut Mae Jemison, the first African-American woman in space, flew on the space shuttle Endeavour in September 1992 as part of the STS-47 crew. Jemison, with degrees in chemical engineering and medicine, conducted experiments during the mission and spent over 190 hours in space.

Canada

Roberta Bondar made history as Canada's first female astronaut during her participation in the STS-42 space shuttle mission in 1992.

Japan

Chiaki Mukai, the first Japanese woman in space, represented the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA) and participated in the STS-65 space shuttle mission in July 1994. During this mission, she established a record for the longest flight undertaken by a female astronaut up to that point.

South Korea

Yi So-yeon, the first South Korean astronaut, achieved her country's first space journey by boarding Russia's Soyuz TMA-12 to the International Space Station in April 2008.

China

Liu Wang, China's first female taikonaut, greeted well-wishers in a spacesuit moments before embarking on a successful launch aboard the Shenzhou 9 space capsule from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on June 19, 2012.