MOSCOW, March 6. /TASS/. Russia’s President Vladimir Putin greeted the first woman in space - cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova on her birthday on Sunday, the Kremlin said.
Tereshkova turns 79.
"You quite correctly are considered to be a bright, extraordinary personality, a true legend of the Russian and world aerospace," the greeting reads. "The strong character features, deep knowledge, active positions have always helped you to achieve the objectives you had, to use fully your rich professional and creative potential."
The president wished success and good health to Tereshkova.
Valentina Tereshkova was born in 1937 in the Yaroslavl region. She made the first space flight, which was almost three days long, on June 16, 1963, on board the Vostok-6 spaceship. Her name has been given to streets and schools in more than 10 cities in Russia, as well as to a Moon crater and a small planet.