Congratulations to pilot-cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova 2012-03-06 13:30:00 Dmitry Medvedev congratulated the first ever woman in space, pilot-cosmonaut and Hero of the Soviet Union Valentina Tereshkova on her birthday. The message reads, in part: “The first woman in the world to have orbited the Earth, you have added a bright page to the history of space exploration. You have also achieved great success in public service. Today, as a State Duma deputy, you focus your efforts on strengthening international humanitarian cooperation.”