Leonard David's INSIDE OUTER SPACE

Image credit: Roscosmos

In the early “space race” days of the former Soviet Union and America there was an ongoing contest to claim space firsts.

One major milestone was achieved on June 13, 1963.

Sitting in her Vostok-6 spacecraft, Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova became the first woman to travel into Earth orbit.

In just under three days, Tereshkova’s pioneering flight made 48 orbits of Earth. At journey’s end on June 19, she parachuted from the Vostok cabin, drifting slowly and safely down to terra firma from 20,000 feet altitude.

That landing process involved first riding an ejection seat from the descent vehicle, with the passenger departing that hardware and parachuting to Earth.

Image credit: Roscosmos/RSC Energia

Swamp survival

In a recent posting from Russia’s space agency, Roscosmos, Tereshkova’s “chair” is the only surviving one from early cosmonaut flights. Other chairs shattered from the fall.

“That is why the seats of almost all the first astronauts have not been preserved. Except one,” notes the Roscosmos via a Telegram channel communiqué. “By a lucky chance, the chair of the world’s first female cosmonaut, Valentina Tereshkova, fell not on a hard surface, but into a swamp, and therefore only partially collapsed.”

That very seat was recovered showing limited damage. It is now a unique exhibit item in the Russian museum of RSC Energia.