Valentina Tereshkova in Kuibyshev 1963

Historical context

The film footage shows the reception of Valentina Tereshkova in Kuibyshev after her return from space and her landing. On 20 June 1963, Valentina Tereshkova arrived in Kuibyshev after her space flight in Vostok-6. The first woman in space is enthusiastically cheered. She meets her colleague Valery Ryzhkov, who had flown on Vostok-5 at the same time. The picture also shows the designer of the spacecraft, Sergei Korolyov, and the head of the mission, General Nikolai Kamanin.

Valentina Tereshkova, a Soviet cosmonaut, made history on 16 June 1963 when she became the first woman to fly into space. She piloted the Vostok 6 spacecraft and orbited the earth 48 times in almost three days. This monumental achievement not only marked a significant milestone in space exploration, but also symbolised the inclusion of women in the space race between the United States and the Soviet Union. Tereshkova’s flight paved the way for many other female astronauts and cosmonauts to follow in her footsteps, inspiring generations with their courage and determination.