Sunday, June 16, 2013

Stocky Tomboyish Blond(e) In Space!

50 yrs. ago today on the stairway to the stars:
1963 First Woman in Space

MOSCOW — A stocky blonde with a captivating smile kept a Sunday-morning date in space today as the Soviet Union successfully launched the world’s first spacewoman. Valentina Vladimirovna Tereshkova, 26, rocketed through the heavens just two days after Lt. Col. Valeri F. Bykovsky blazed the way. “Hello Hawk, hello Hawk, this is Seagull,” Valentina’s high-pitched voice rang out. “Hello Seagull, this is Hawk,” Col. Bykovsky replied in the strangest boy-girl encounter in history.* Miss Tereshkova, a tomboyish air force junior lieutenant, spun into space in Vostok 6 (East 6) after a week of rumor and speculation that the Soviet Union was about to enter a new phase of space research. As Col. Bykovsky was completing his 32d orbit in Vostok 5 and passing over the Soviet Union, the bulky capsule bearing Miss Tereshkova hurtled skyward.

*Oh? [raises eyebrow]

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