Valentina Vladimirovna Tereshkova (Russian: Валентина Владимировна Терешкова) is the third and current President of the Soviet Union. Tereshkova is also a retired cosmonaut, and holds the title of first woman in space as part of the Vostok 6 mission in 1963. Because of her public support, Tereshkova was pushed into politics, becoming part of the Supreme Soviet (1966-1974), the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet (1974-1989), and the Central Committee of the Communist Party (1969-1991).