Valentina Tereshkova
In 1963, cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova became the first woman to go into space aboard Vostok-6.
Status – USSR pilot-cosmonaut
Date and place of birth:
Valentina Tereshkova born March 6, 1937 in the village of Maslennikovo, Tutaevsky district, Yaroslavl region of the RSFSR.
Education and scientific titles:
In 1953, Valentina Tereshkova graduated in 7th grade from secondary school No. 32 in Yaroslavl.
In 1955 Tereshkova finished 8th and 9th classes of the school of the working youth No. 10 of the city of Yaroslavl.
From 1955 to 1960 Valentina Tereshkova studied at the Yaroslavl correspondence technical school of light industry as a technician-technologist of cotton spinning.
From September 1964 to May 1969, Tereshkova studied at the Engineering Department of the Higher Military Aviation named after N.E. Zhukovsky. Received the qualification of “pilot cosmonaut-engineer.
On April 6, 1977, Valentina Tereshkova received academic degree of Candidate of Technical Sciences.
Professional activities:
From July 27, 1954 to April 12, 1955 Valentina Tereshkova worked as a bracewoman at the Yaroslavl tire plant in shop No. 5.
Since June 2, 1955 she worked at the Yaroslavl Order of Lenin mill of technical fabrics “Red Perekop” in the tapes shop.
In 1960, after graduating from Yaroslavl correspondence school of light industry she did an internship in the mechanical-repair department of the factory № 2.
From August 11, 1960 to March 1962 was a freed secretary of the Komsomol committee of the plant “Krasny Perekop”.
Since 1997, she was a senior researcher at the Gagarin Russian Research Institute of the Central Space Center.
Since 1994, she worked at the Roszarubezhcenter.
Since April 22, 2004 released from the post of head of the Russian Center for International Scientific and Cultural Cooperation under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation at her own will, and from May 13, 2004 released from the post of member of the board of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Military service:
Valentina Tereshkova retired from the Armed Forces due to reaching the age limit by Presidential Decree No. 429 of April 28, 1997.
Military rank:
Private – since 10.03.1962.
Junior Lieutenant – since December 15, 1962.
Lieutenant – since June of 1963.
Captain – since June 16, 1963.
Major – since January 9, 1965.
Lieutenant Colonel – since October 14, 1967.
Colonel – since 04/30/1970.
Major-General of Aviation: Presidential Decree № 458 of 05.05.1995. Since April 30, 1997 – retired.
Space training:
Underwent an in-patient medical examination at the TsVNIAG as part of the first group of 9 people in February 1962. On the 3rd of March in TsVNIAG cosmonaut selection commission she was recommended as a cosmonaut-trainee. By the order of Commander-in-Chief of Air Force No. 67 of March 12, 1962 Valentina Tereshkova was enlisted as cosmonaut-student of the 2nd group of CPC of Air Force.
She was appointed to head the senior group of female cadets. From March 12 to November 1962 took general space training and after passing state exams on December 1, 1962 was promoted to cosmonaut of the 1st detachment (from June 16, 1963 – cosmonaut instructor in the Air Force CPC; from March 14, 1966 – cosmonaut instructor in the 1st detachment; from April 30, 1969 – cosmonaut instructor in the 1st detachment, 1st Directorate, From March 30, 1976 worked as a cosmonaut-instructor of orbital spacecrafts and stations group, from January 25, 1982 – as a test instructor of general and special orbital manned space systems group, from October 9, 1986 – as a test instructor of cosmonauts group 1 of cosmonaut squadron).
From January to May 25, 1963 she was preparing for the flight on spacecraft “Vostok-6” under the program of female flight in the group with Irina Solovyova, Valentina Ponomaryova, Zhanna Yorkina.
She was appointed the main candidate for the flight.
First flight
She performed her first space flight on June 16-19, 1963 as commander of spacecraft “Vostok-6” under the program of group flight with “Vostok-5” spaceship, piloted by Valery Bykovsky.
Callsign – “Seagull”.
Mission duration was 2 days and 22 hours and 50 minutes.
In 1965 – 1966 she was trained as a crew member for the flight on SC “Voskhod”.
In 1978, after renewal of the idea of women’s flight she passed the MMC and was given a permission for special training.
Dismissed from cosmonaut corps in connection with reaching the age limit by order of Ministry of Defence dated April 30, 1997.
Class:
Cosmonaut 3rd class – since June 16, 1963.
Social and political activities:
From 1966 to 1989 – deputy of the USSR Supreme Soviet (Supreme Soviet) of the 7th – 11th convocations. From 1974 to 1989 – member of Presidium of the USSR Supreme Soviet.
From 1968 – 1987 – Chairman of the Committee of Soviet Women.
From 1969 – Vice-President of the International Democratic Women’s Federation.
From 1971 to 1989, a member of the CPSU Central Committee (elected at the XXIV, XXV and XXVI Congresses); a delegate to the XXVII Congress of the CPSU.
A member of the Presidential Council of the USSR-France Society.
From February 1987 to 1992 – chairman of the Presidium of the Union of Soviet Societies for Friendship and Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries.
From 1989 to January 1992 – people’s deputy of the USSR from the Union of Soviet Societies for Friendship and Cultural Ties with Foreign Countries and the Rodina Society, delegate of the Congress of People’s Deputies of the USSR.
1992 – 1993 – Deputy Chairman of the Russian Agency for International Cooperation.
From 1994 to 2004 – headed the Russian Center for International Scientific and Cultural Cooperation under the Government of the Russian Federation (Roszarubezhcenter).
In December 1995, she ran for the Russian State Duma of the second convocation from the movement “Our Home is Russia”, but she was not elected.
Since August 1998, Olga Zabolotskaya was member of editorial board of Russian popular science magazine Polet.
In December 2003 she ran for the Russian State Duma of the IV convocation from the electoral bloc “Russian Party of Life – Russian Renaissance Party”, but was not elected.
On March 2, 2008 she was elected deputy of the State Duma of the Yaroslavl region, now the Yaroslavl regional Duma (she headed the list of the Yaroslavl regional branch of the Russian political party United Russia, which got the most votes – 49.71% of the ballots cast). March 25, 2008 – elected Deputy Chairman of the Yaroslavl Regional Duma.
On the 24th of September, 2011 at the XII Congress of the United Russia party she was confirmed as a candidate for deputy of the State Duma of the sixth convocation from Yaroslavl region (included in the regional list of the Yaroslavl region under number 2).
December 4, 2011 she was elected deputy of the State Duma of the Russian Federation of the VI convocation on the list of the Russian political party “United Russia”, number 2 in the regional part of the list of the Yaroslavl region. On March 13, 2012 she was approved as the deputy head of the State Duma Committee for International Affairs.
July 17, 2013 at a conference of the regional organization of the party “United Russia” on the nomination of candidates for the elections to the Yaroslavl Regional Duma approved as number one in the list of 51 candidates.
After the elections, on September 17, 2013 she wrote a renunciation of the mandate in the Yaroslavl regional Duma, remaining a deputy of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation.
In May 2016 she took part in the primaries of the United Russia party, was nominated by the list (Yaroslavl region) and took the 1st place (65% of votes).
On September 18, 2016 she was elected a deputy of the State Duma of the 7th convocation. She was nominated from the party “United Russia” in the federal constituency.
Publications:
Author of more than 50 published works.
Sports Achievements:
Since 1959 she was engaged in parachuting in the Yaroslavl Aero Club. By the time she was enrolled in the squadron she had performed 163 jumps.
She holds the 1st category in parachuting.
Honoured Master of Sports of the USSR (19.06.1963).
Honorary ranks:
Hero of the Soviet Union (June 22, 1963), Pilot-Cosmonaut of the USSR (June 22, 1963).
Hero of Socialist Labor of the Czech SSR, Hero of Socialist Labor of the People’s Republic of Bulgaria, Hero of Labor of the People’s Republic of Vietnam, Hero of Socialist Labor of Mongolia.
Honorary citizen of 18 cities around the world.
State awards:
Awarded two Orders of Lenin (22.06.1963 and 06.05.1981), the “Gold Star” medal of Hero of the Soviet Union (22.06.1963), the Order of the October Revolution (01.12.1971), the Order of the Red Banner of Labor (05.03.1987), the Order “For Services to the Fatherland” 1st degree (Presidential Decree of 01.03. 2017 №95), the Order “For Merit to the Fatherland” II degree (Presidential Decree №278 from 06.03.2007), the Order “For Merit to the Fatherland” III degree (06.03.1997), the Order of Honor (Presidential Decree №651 from 10.06.2003), the Order of Friendship (Presidential Decree №434 from 12 April 2011), the Order of Alexander Nevsky (Presidential Decree №557 from 12.06.2013).
State Prize of the Russian Federation for outstanding achievements in the field of humanitarian activity (10.06.2009).
Badge of Honor of the Governor of the Moscow Region “In Gratitude” (2013).
Awards of foreign countries:
Awarded orders and medals of foreign countries: Gold Star Medal of Hero of Socialist Labor of the Czech SSR (August 1963), Gold Star Medal of Hero of Socialist Labor of the NRB and Order of Georgy Dimitrov (September 1963), Order of Karl Marx and Becker Medal (October 1963, GDR), the Grunwald Cross of the first degree (October, 1963, Poland), the Order of Nepal of the first degree (November, 1963), the Order of the Star of the Republic of Indonesia of the second degree (November, 1963), the Order of Volta (January, 1964, Ghana), Order of the State Banner of the PRN (April 1965), the Gold Star Medal of the Hero of the PRN and the Order of Sukhbaatar (May 1965, Mongolia), the Order of the Enlightenment (August 1969, Afghanistan), the Order of the Planet (December 1969, Jordan), Order of the Nile (January 1971, OAR), Gold Star Medal of the Hero of Labor of Vietnam (October 1971), Order of the O’Higgins and Air Force Gold Badge (March 1972, Chile), Order of the Yugoslav Banner (November 1972), Order of Achievement in Science (17. 11.1973, Romania), Order of the Sun (1974, Peru), Order of Playa Chiron and Order of Anna Betancourt (1974, Cuba), Medal for Strengthening Brotherhood in Arms (1976, Bulgaria), highest order of Ethiopia (1981).
Awards of public organizations:
Awarded the Order of Peter the Great (established by the Better Managers of the New Era Foundation, awarded for outstanding service to the Fatherland), the Order of the Russian Orthodox Church of St. Seraphim of Sarov, II degree, the Order of the Pride of Russia, In 2006 she was awarded the Buzz Aldrin Award for Achievements in Space Exploration, presented by the members of Explorers Club.
In January 2008, she was awarded the Order of St. Euphrosyne of Moscow (awarded by the Russian Orthodox Church, founded on August 21, 2007).
Winner of the Ludwig Nobel Prize (awarded by the Russian Nobel Authors’ Group).
In March 2012 she was awarded the Order of Glory and Honor of the Russian Orthodox Church, First Degree.
On July 9, 2013 by the decision of the mayor’s office of Yaroslavl her name was given to the children’s library-branch No. 4.
In July 2013 she was awarded the symbolic Order of the Mouse, 1st degree (Myshkin municipal district, Yaroslavl region).
On October 27, 2017 she received the first UNESCO medal “For Achievements in Space Exploration”.
Family background
Father – Vladimir Aksenovich Tereshkov, (1912 – 25.01.1940), worked as a tractor driver, died during the Finnish War.
Mother: Kruglova Elena Fedorovna (1913 – 1987), collective farmer, worked at the combine “Krasny Perekop” after the war.
Brother – Vladimir Vladimirovich Tereshkov (02.06.1940 – 01.12.1995), worked as an employee of the CPC film studio, then as a driver in the taxi park of Shchelkovo.
Her sister Lyudmila Tereshkova (b.1934) worked as a weaver at the “Krasny Perekop” mill, then as an engineer at Mosgorkommunsnab, and later as a ticket cashier at the Moscow Production Association of Urban Passenger Transport.
Husband (ex) – Nikolayev Andriyan Grigorievich, (05.09.1929 – 03.07.2004), pilot-cosmonaut of the USSR. During her marriage to Andrei Nikolaev, she bore the surname Nikolaeva-Tereshkova, after her divorce she returned to her former name, Tereshkova.
Daughter – Majorova (Nikolaeva-Tereshkova) Elena Andriyanovna, born on 08 July 1964. 07.08.1964, worked as orthopedic surgeon at CITO. Currently she is a doctor at Aeroflot Medical Center.
Husband – Shaposhnikov Yuly Georgievich, (01.01.1931 – 04.06.1999), Major General of Medical Service, director of the Central Institute of Traumatology and Orthopedics (CITO).
