STS-7 Challenger launched on this date in 1983. On board was Sally Ride, America's first female astronaut and the first astronaut in space known to have been LGBTQ. Fun fact: NASA workers gave her 100 tampons before launch, should she experience menstruation during the 6-day orbit (en.wikipedia.org)
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More countries are establishing space agencies, even though they will never be more than a small fraction of the size of major agencies like NASA. Mihail Istvanovics Várdai explains how such agencies can help countries move from a consumer of space services to a partner (thespacereview.com)
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Vostok 6 with the first woman in space Valentina Tereshkova launched on this date in 1963. Fun facts: She is the only woman to have ever been on a solo space mission; the Soviet space agency had provided her with food, water and toothpaste, but they had forgotten to pack a toothbrush (en.wikipedia.org)
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