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Valentina Ponomaryova
Astronaut

Valentina Ponomaryova

Famoose for

Training in the first Soviet women’s cosmonaut group.

Orbital mechanics · History of science

Born
18 September 1933
Birthplace
Moscow
Died
8 November 2023

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Valentina Ponomaryova

Valentina Ponomaryova was a Soviet pilot and scientist selected for spaceflight training in 1962. Despite years in the programme, she never flew in space.

Early life

Education

Graduated from the Moscow Aviation Institute in 1957 and later studied at the Zhukovsky academy.

Career

  1. 1962

    Cosmonaut selection

    Joined the five-woman training group.

  2. 1963

    Vostok preparations

    Served in a supporting backup role for Valentina Tereshkova’s flight.

  3. 1969

    Departure

    Left the cosmonaut programme after planned missions failed to materialise.

  4. 1974

    Research qualification

    Obtained a Candidate of Technical Sciences degree.

Contributions

Orbital mechanics

Worked at the Gagarin Training Center.

History of science

Worked at an institute devoted to the history of natural science.

Beyond work

Family

Married fellow cosmonaut Yury Ponomaryov; they had two children.

Sources & photo creditBiography and career ↗Biographical references ↗

Original photograph. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.

Photo: Soviet space program. Source credit retained; reuse licence not established · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.