Updated: 6:59 AM PDT April 5, 2021
The presence of women in space dates back to Russian cosmonaut Valentia Tereshkova who went beyond Earth's atmosphere on Vostok 6 in 1963.
It wasn't until 20 years later that Sally Ride became the first American woman in space when she flew aboard the Space Shuttle STS-7 in 1983.
In the time since female astronauts haven't slowed down and continue to make history. The most recent example can be found in 2019 when Christina Koch and Jessica Meir became the first to complete an all-female spacewalk.
But their significant contributions don't stop short at participating in milestone moments for the space agency, they've also played a large role in advancing the program.