Yes, multiple girls have been in space. In fact, as of March 2023, a remarkable 72 women have journeyed into space. This includes long-duration missions to the International Space Station and shorter flights.
Pioneering Women in Space
- Valentina Tereshkova: Made history in 1963 as the first woman in space, flying solo aboard Vostok 6. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_women_astronauts)
- Many Others Followed: Since Tereshkova's groundbreaking flight, numerous women from various countries have contributed significantly to space exploration. For example, Svetlana Savitskaya became the first woman to perform a spacewalk. (https://www.nasa.gov/history/womens-history-month-2023-celebrating-women-astronauts/)
- NASA's Role: NASA has played a significant role in sending women into space, with Eileen Collins becoming the first woman to command a Space Shuttle mission. (https://www.space.com/16143-women-space-firsts-gallery.html)
The number of women in space continues to grow, showcasing the increasing participation of women in STEM fields and space exploration. This demonstrates a significant shift from NASA's earlier stance, which at one point stated that there were "no present plans to include women in space flights". (https://airandspace.si.edu/stories/editorial/nasas-early-stand-women-astronauts-%E2%80%9Cno-present-plans-include-women-space-flights%E2%80%9D)
