50 years ago Valentina Tereshkova became the first woman in space. Initially both Vostok 5 and 6, which flew at the same time, would be piloted by women. Tereshkova would pilot Vostok 5 and Valentina Ponomaryova Vostok 6. However, due to changes in the Sovjet Spaceflight program, Vostok 5 was flown by Bykovsky and Vostok 6 by Tereshkova. She would remain the only woman to have been in orbit for another 19 years.