First Woman in Space

    MOSCOW (AP)-The Soviet Union sent a dark-eyed young blonde named Valentina Tereshkova into space Sunday as the world's first woman cosmonaut. The Russians said her Vostok VI space ship went into orbit close to Lt. Col. Valery Bykovsky, who rocketed up Friday.

    The Soviet Union shot Miss Tereshkova, a 26-year-old former factory worker, aloft at 12:30 p.m. (2:30 a.m. PST) Sunday.

    "It's our girl, a girl from the land of the Soviet, that is first in space," announced Soviet Premier Nikita S. Khrushchev. "It (the twin space flight) is a triumph of Leninist ideas."

    As the cosmonauts awoke early today after a night's sleep, Soviet officials were silent on whether they might attempt a his-and-hers rendezvous in space. It seemed unlikely, however, since Miss Tereshkova is not a trained pilot and might not be able to carry out her part in a complicated manually controlled link-up maneuver.

    There was no official indication on precisely how close their ships are to each other, but official communiques said both spacecraft had lost a little altitude.

    At the same time rumors-not taken too seriously-circulated in Moscow that a third Soviet cosmonaut might be sent up to join them.

    At 8 a.m. (Moscow time), Vostok V had completed more than 45 orbits and Vostok VI more than 14.

    Background in Parachute Jumping
A sideline of parachute jumping qualified Miss Tereshkova for her cosmonaut training which led to her flight in the Vostok VI spacecraft.

    A half an hour after Miss Tereshkova went into orbit she was in radio contact with Bykovsky. Together they then messaged Khrushchev:

    "Dependable radio communications been established between our space ships. Are at close distance from each other. All systems in the ships are working excellently. Feeling fine."

    There was no indication whether the two could see each other.

    Official announcements made no mention of how long Miss Tereshkova and Bykovsky will remain in orbit. But unofficial reports said they will land in short intervals of each other within two days.

    Soviet scientists performed a similar feat last August when they launched the space twins, Pavel Popovich and Andrian Nikolayev. Nikolayev, who stayed in orbit four days, went up Aug. 11 and Popovich the following day.

    In their flight, they reported they saw each other at once and sang a duet. Both came down Aug. 15 after Nikolayev had orbited 64 times and Popovich 48 times.

    Will Analyze Effect of Space Flight on a Woman

    The Tass news agency said the purpose of sending a woman into space was to make a comparative analysis of space flight factors on a man and a woman.

    Miss Tereshkova reported she was feeling fine. She promptly stole the show from Bykovsky in Vostok V.

    The announcement of her flight sent Russians in Moscow into jubilation. Live pictures of her space ship flickered on Russian television sets. Her excited, high-pitched voice crackled over the air waves.

    "This is Seagull, this is Seagull," she said as she began each transmission. Russian cosmonauts take the names of birds as their call signs in space. Bykovsky calls himself Hawk.

    Bykovsky, a 28-year-old father of a 3-month-old son, was in his 32nd orbit when Miss Tereshkova blasted off.

    Valentina was hurled into orbit from the same launching site at Baikonur, a Kazakh town 1,200 miles southeast of Moscow, where Bykovsky blasted off.

    "Good-by, till we meet soon on earth," Valentina said as she was lifted up to the spaceship cabin and sealed inside, Tass reported. It said a snow-white dove flying in sun rays was embroidered on the chest of her space suit.

    During her first orbit she ate a snack and during the third ate lunch, Tass said. Premier Khrushchev spoke to her during the fourth orbit.

    By 10 p.m. Sunday, Tass reported Valentina was finishing dinner and setting down for some sleep. It said Bykovsky's dinner and bedding down time was not until midnight, explaining that the two cosmonauts' schedules were staggered two hours apart. Bykovsky had completed 38 orbits by 10 p.m., but his space ship was losing altitude. His minimum and maximum altitudes were 105 and 129.5 miles, compared to 107 and 136 when he started out Friday.

    A communique said Valentina's pulse rate was a normal 80 beats a minute and her respiration a calm 20. Her cabin temperature was reported at 68 deg., a drop of 6 deg. from an earlier reading. Its humidity was reported as 34%.

    Television Appearance from Space
   
    Miss Tereshkova appeared on television to be overjoyed.

    Strapped to her flight couch, she was seen speaking into a microphone attached to her helmet. She smiled frequently.

    Apparently aware that she was being watched by television viewers all over the Soviet Union and the satellite nations via the Soviet bloc television network, she waved greetings at the camera.

    At one point, she followed with her dark eyes a pencil drifting before her in the weightless world of space.

    A communique on the joint flight said Miss Tereshkova's space craft passed into the direct vicinity of Bykovsky soon after it went into orbit.

    As for Bykovsky, the communique said:

    "The cosmonaut observed the surface of the earth, the horizon, the cloud cover, the sun, the moon and the stars.

    "He remains fit, and reports that he has an excellent appetite and is in good spirits."

    The Soviet Air Force fighter pilot appeared on Moscow television late Sunday afternoon. He mugged happily for the camera and held up his logbook and a picture of his wife and son. Tass said the systems of both spaceships were functioning normally.

    It reported that Miss Tereshkova's orbit swung to within 113 miles of the earth at its closest point and 144 miles at its farthest.

    "She withstood well the orbiting and is feeling fine," Tass said.

    Bykovsky was described in good shape after a restful night. Tass reported he awakened on schedule Sunday morning, did some exercises in the cabin and ate breakfast. After that he resumed his reports to Soviet scientists on the ground and awaited the arrival of the Soviet lady bird.

    The pair's angle of orbit was about the same, 65 deg from the Equator. Both are orbiting at the same speed, 88 minutes for one loop around the earth.

    Official radio bulletins told Russians that the purpose of the joint flight was "to continue the study of the effect of various space flight factors on the human organism, factors on the organism of a man and a woman, to carry out new medico-biological research, and further improve and perfect the systems of piloted space ships in conditions of simultaneous flight."

    Miss Tereshkova spent most of the initial minutes of the flight sending and receiving messages that have become almost standard fixtures in Soviet space flights.

    Khrushchev radioed a message of "cordial congratulations to the world's first woman cosmonaut on the wonderful flight through the expanses of the universe."

    Khrushchev said: "A happy journey to you. We will be extremely glad to meet you on our Soviet soil"

    Valentina sent back a message saying: "I am deeply moved by your kindness. Many, many thanks for your hearty words, for your fatherly concern. I feel fine. I wholeheartedly thank the Soviet people for the good wishes. I assure you, dear Nikita Sergeyevich, that the honorable assignment of the homeland will be carried out."

    Miss Tereshkova's flight is expected to provide the Soviet Union with its propaganda keynote for several weeks to come.