Russia on Monday honored the world's first woman in space, Valentina Tereshkova, who recalled tense moments of her pioneering mission on her 80th birthday. Soviet space officials started planning for a space mission by a woman soon after Yuri Gagarin became the first human to fly to space on April, 12 1961, seeing it as a way to cement the nation's lead in a race for space supremacy against the United States. Tereshkova, a textile factory worker who liked parachute jumps, was chosen for the flight after a rigorous selection from hundreds of candidates. The three-day mission made her an instant global celebrity and a poster figure for Soviet space glory. Tereshkova is still a member of the Russian parliament, serving as a deputy chair of committee for municipal issues.

Source: ABC News March 06, 2017 17:50 UTC