Pioneering women in space: A gallery of astronaut firsts

Four women serving together on the International Space Station on April 14, 2010, represented the highest number of women in space simultaneously. Clockwise from lower right are NASA astronauts Dorothy Metcalf-Lindenburger, Stephanie Wilson, both STS-131
Four women serving together on the International Space Station on April 14, 2010, represented the highest number of women in space simultaneously. Clockwise from lower right are NASA astronauts Dorothy Metcalf-Lindenburger, Stephanie Wilson, both STS-131 mission specialists; and Tracy Caldwell Dyson, Expedition 23 flight engineer; along with Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Naoko Yamazaki, STS-131 mission specialist. (Image credit: NASA)

Since Valentina Tereshkova became the first woman in space in 1963, women have gone on to set many records for spacewalks and long-duration spaceflight on the International Space Station. Another milestone will come in 2024 when NASA aims to land the first woman on the moon under the Artemis program, named for the twin sister of Apollo.

From the first female shuttle commander to the first all-female spacewalk, we celebrate the achievements of women in space with this gallery. Take a look at some of the trailblazing women in our gallery below.

Related: 20 trailblazing women in astronomy and astrophysics 

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Space.com is the premier source of space exploration, innovation and astronomy news, chronicling (and celebrating) humanity's ongoing expansion across the final frontier. Originally founded in 1999, Space.com is, and always has been, the passion of writers and editors who are space fans and also trained journalists. Our current news team consists of Editor-in-Chief Tariq Malik; Editor Hanneke Weitering, Senior Space Writer Mike Wall; Senior Writer Meghan Bartels; Senior Writer Chelsea Gohd, Senior Writer Tereza Pultarova and Staff Writer Alexander Cox, focusing on e-commerce. Senior Producer Steve Spaleta oversees our space videos, with Diana Whitcroft as our Social Media Editor.