First woman in space

Fact: Valentina Vladimirovna Tereshkova was the first woman and the first civilian to fly in space, on the Soviet Vostok 6, June 16th 1963. She was selected out of four hundred applicant women parachuters. She spent three days in space at the age of 26, orbiting the earth 48 times. Valentina eventually married another cosmonaut and their daughter was the first person to have parents who had both gone into space.

Quote: " Once you've been in space, you appreciate how small and fragile the Earth is." -- Valentina Tereshkova

And a site:  Russian Space Web -- news and history of astronautics in the former USSR