Putin Congratulates First Woman in Space Tereshkova on 80th Birthday

Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated on Monday the world’s first female cosmonaut, Valentina Tereshkova, on her 80th birthday, the Kremlin said.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Tereshkova flew into space in 1963 in a Vostok 6 spacecraft. She spent almost three days in space and still is the only woman to have been on a solo mission there.

After her retirement, she pursued a political career, becoming a member of the Russian parliament’s lower house, the State Duma.

"Starting with your legendary space flight, you have always been an example and a symbol of how we should serve the nation … and you continue your active work in the State Duma," Putin said.

During her audience with the president, Tereshkova was presented with a high state decoration, the Order for Merit to the Fatherland of the first class.