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She actually finished her mission successfully but Americans would not accept this as a milestone for women.One might have expected great movement when Valentina Tereshkova left the Earth's atmosphere on June 16, 1963 to become the first woman in space. After all, Tereshkova spent three days in space, completed 48 orbits around Earth, and logged more time in orbit than all the Americans (three) who had been in space to that point. She'd proven that a woman was physically capable of withstanding the rigors of spaceflight. Surely, the Americans would rush to get a woman into space! Rosie the Riveter, perhaps, dusting herself off after her stint as a factory laborer in the successful war effort?

But no, there was no Tereshkova moment. In fact, one NASA official who declined to give his name to a reporter, said it made him "sick to his stomach" to think of women in space. Another called Tereshkova's flight "a publicity stunt."

It would be another 20 years before Sally Ride would become the first American woman in space.

Could have been a big thing for the womens rights movements in the USA, but it never really was.

Women could be thought of inferior to men. Nobody could recognize the capability of women. Thank Goodness people then recognized this adventurous feet of Tereskova.