In a world where digital information can be surprisingly ephemeral and historical narratives sometimes undergo revision, I felt compelled to create and share these comprehensive lists documenting women’s contributions to space exploration both in the United States and internationally.

The story of humanity reaching for the stars has never been one of a single gender, nationality, or background. Women have been pivotal engineers, mathematicians, astronauts, and leaders throughout the history of space exploration, yet their stories are often less prominently featured in mainstream narratives. From Katherine Johnson’s critical orbital calculations to Valentina Tereshkova breaking the ultimate glass ceiling as the first woman in space, these pioneers have fundamentally shaped our journey beyond Earth.

By collecting these names and achievements in one place, we create not just a historical record, but a source of inspiration. Young women interested in STEM fields deserve to see clear evidence that people like them have always been essential to humanity’s greatest adventures. The diverse backgrounds of these women—spanning nationalities, ethnicities, and disciplines—demonstrate that space exploration has been and continues to be enriched by diverse perspectives and talents.

These lists serve multiple purposes: they honor those who blazed trails under often challenging circumstances, they provide a more complete and accurate historical record, and they remind us that the future of space exploration will continue to need the brilliance and dedication of people from all backgrounds.

I hope these compilations help ensure that the full, diverse history of space exploration remains accessible, celebrated, and protected from being minimized or forgotten. This isn’t about rewriting history—it’s about preserving it in its true, rich complexity.

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Soviet/Russian Space Program

Pioneering Soviet Cosmonauts

• Valentina Tereshkova (1937-): First woman in space (1963, Vostok 6), completed 48 orbits of Earth
• Svetlana Savitskaya (1948-): Second woman in space (1982), first woman to perform a spacewalk (1984)
• Elena Kondakova (1957-): First woman to complete a long-duration mission (1994-1995, 169 days on Mir)

Modern Russian Cosmonauts

• Elena Serova (1976-): First Russian woman to visit the ISS (2014-2015)
• Anna Kikina (1984-): Most recent Russian female cosmonaut, flew on SpaceX Crew-5 mission (2022-2023)

European Space Agency (ESA)

Astronauts

• Claudie Haigneré (1957-): First French woman in space (1996, Mir), later served as France’s Minister of Research
• Samantha Cristoforetti (1977-): Italian ESA astronaut, held record for longest single spaceflight by a woman (2014-2015, 199 days), first European female commander of the ISS
• Helen Sharman (1963-): First British astronaut (1991, Project Juno to Mir)

Engineers and Leaders

• Simonetta Di Pippo: Former Director of UN Office for Outer Space Affairs and former Director of Human Spaceflight at ESA
• Edelgard Bulmahn: Former German Federal Minister who significantly increased ESA funding
• Fatoumata Kébé: French astronomer specializing in space debris
• Ersilia Vaudo Scarpetta: Chief Diversity Officer at ESA

Chinese Space Agency (CNSA)

Taikonauts

• Liu Yang (1978-): First Chinese woman in space (2012, Shenzhou 9)
• Wang Yaping (1980-): Second Chinese woman in space (2013), first Chinese woman to conduct a spacewalk (2021)
• Zhai Zhigang (1966-): First Chinese astronaut to perform a spacewalk

Engineers

• Zhang Yuhua: Deputy Chief Commander of the Chang’e-5 lunar mission
• Sun Zezhou: Chief Designer of the Tianwen-1 Mars mission
• Cui Xiaofeng: Chief Designer of rocket control systems

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)

Astronauts

• Chiaki Mukai (1952-): First Japanese woman in space (1994, STS-65), also flew on STS-95
• Naoko Yamazaki (1970-): Second Japanese woman in space (2010, STS-131)

Engineers

• Reiko Kataoka: Engineering manager for the asteroid explorer Hayabusa
• Makiko Hori: Project engineer for the SELENE lunar orbiter

Canadian Space Agency (CSA)

Astronauts

• Roberta Bondar (1945-): First Canadian woman in space (1992, STS-42)
• Julie Payette (1963-): Flew on STS-96 and STS-127, later became Governor General of Canada
• Jenni Sidey-Gibbons (1988-): Selected as CSA astronaut in 2017

Engineers

• Natalie Panek: Aerospace engineer who worked on Mars rovers
• Farah Alibay: Systems engineer at NASA JPL who worked on the Mars Perseverance rover

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)

Astronaut Candidates

• Shweta Mohanty: Selected for India’s Gaganyaan human spaceflight program
• Pawan Kumar: Among the first cohort of Indian women selected for astronaut training

Engineers and Leaders

• Ritu Karidhal (1975-): Rocket scientist known as “Rocket Woman of India,” Mission Director for Chandrayaan-2
• M. Vanitha: Project Director for Chandrayaan-2 lunar mission
• Nandini Harinath: Deputy Operations Director for Mars Orbiter Mission
• Anuradha TK: First woman to become a Satellite Project Director at ISRO
• Muthayya Vanitha: Project Director for Chandrayaan-2
• V.R. Lalithambika: Director of ISRO’s Human Space Flight Program

Other Nations and Agencies

United Arab Emirates

• Nora Al Matrooshi (1993-): First Arab woman selected for astronaut training
• Sara Al Amiri: UAE Minister of State for Advanced Technology and chair of the UAE Space Agency

South Korea

• Yi So-yeon (1978-): First Korean to fly in space (2008, Soyuz TMA-12)

Iran

• Anousheh Ansari (1966-): First Iranian-American in space (2006), self-funded space tourist

Italy

• Amalia Ercoli-Finzi: Principal Investigator for the ROSETTA mission instrument SD2

Brazil

• Marcos Pontes: First Brazilian astronaut

Malaysia

• Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor: First Malaysian in space (2007)

Ukraine

• Leonid Kadeniuk: First astronaut of independent Ukraine

South Africa

• Adriana Marais: Physicist and candidate for Mars One mission
• Jeanne Houssaye: Leading aerospace engineer at South African National Space Agency

Private Space Companies

SpaceX

• Gwynne Shotwell: President and COO of SpaceX
• Lauren Lyons: Former Flight Controller and Mission Manager

Blue Origin

• Erika Wagner: Payload Sales Director
• Linda Mills: Vice President of Communications

Virgin Galactic

• Beth Moses (1976-): Chief Astronaut Instructor, first woman on a commercial spaceflight
• Sirisha Bandla: Vice President of Government Affairs, flew on Unity 22 mission

Historical Contributions and “Firsts”

• Valentina Tereshkova (USSR): First woman in space (1963)
• Svetlana Savitskaya (USSR): First woman to perform a spacewalk (1984)
• Helen Sharman (UK): First British astronaut (1991)
• Roberta Bondar (Canada): First Canadian woman in space (1992)
• Chiaki Mukai (Japan): First Japanese woman in space (1994)
• Claudie Haigneré (France): First French woman in space (1996)
• Anousheh Ansari (Iran/US): First female space tourist (2006)
• Yi So-yeon (South Korea): First Korean in space (2008)
• Liu Yang (China): First Chinese woman in space (2012)
• Samantha Cristoforetti (Italy): First Italian woman in space (2014)
• Beth Moses (US): First woman on commercial spaceflight (2019)
• Wang Yaping (China): First Chinese woman to conduct a spacewalk (2021)

This post is one of my Diversity in the Classroom readings. Their main purpose is to share the stories and history from people of diverse backgrounds. To Read More follow this Link.