I'd call it a giant leap for humankind.

What's wrong with having women in the space program?

BTW, the Soviets also had many, many women working in factories, operating heavy machinery and slaving away in the fields.

I think that would be good here, too, as well as a celebration for the first all-female coalminer crew mentioned earlier.

BS65 has written some I agree with, except the dangerous and risky part. The reason why there are not many US female astronauts, is because the US military (all branches) had discouraged women from pursuing careers as pilots.

One of my favorite quotes from the beginning of the Iraq invasion was when an ex-general, who was commentating for I believe FOX News, spoke of his love for the A10 (tank killer) Warthog, and how proud he was that both his son and daughter flew the aircraft.

To BS65, in regards to your last comment I suggest you visit the Dutch Navy.

To Jim Parson, the reason why not too many woman have pursued careers as coal miners, is because it is dangerous and risky.

Operating those two rattletraps is dangerous and risky as well.

Don't laugh. Whatever you do, don't laugh.

Why can't women parallel park?

Because men are always telling them 4 inches is a foot....

They even made a movie about one: North Country. It perhaps explains why there aren't more women underground.

Back when I was in university in the 80s, I worked summers in a copper mine. And even way back then, there were women underground. Not many miners, technically speaking, that job requires a lot of upper body strength. But a few muckers, a significant number of electricians & other technicians, and probably a majority of the hoist operators (a demanding and high-skill job).

In the budding manned space flight industry, which has not yet gotten to commercial success level, The Americans have suffered two in-flight accidents that killed 14 people, and the Russian have also suffered two in-flight mishaps that killed 4. Out of 258 combined American/Russian/Chinese manned space flights, 4 accidents can hardly cause the very experimental industry to be considered dangerous and risky.

Coal mining on the other hand has a long storied history of be risky and dangerous, and throughout history mining of an any sort has been reserved, by most societies, to slaves and criminals, the poor, and the uneducated. Where as all men and women that have been put into space are widely celebrated heroes in their respected nations.

To Jim Parson, you are not suppose to tell women of our exaggeration of measurements.

Coal mining isn't even in the top 10 for dangerous jobs. Garbage man is though.

what, guys falling head first into dump trucks?

"Tereshkova was invited to President Vladimir Putin's residence in Novo-Ogaryovo for the celebration of her 70th birthday. While there she said that she would like to fly to Mars, even if it meant that it was a one way trip."