[rsimpson]

The first solo spaceflight by a woman was made by Valentina Tereshkova, a Soviet cosmonaut, on June 16, 1963.

She flew aboard Vostok 6, becoming not only the first woman in space but also the only woman to ever fly solo in space. Her mission lasted almost three days (71 hours), during which she orbited the Earth 48 times.

She famously said, "Hey sky, take off your hat, I’m on my way!" before launching. Absolute icon.