Yuri Gagarin

Yuri Alekseyevich Gagarin was a Russian pilot and cosmonaut who became the first human to journey into outer space, achieving a major milestone in the Space Race; his capsule, Vostok 1, completed one orbit of Earth on 12 April 1961. Gagarin became an international celebrity and was awarded many medals and titles, including Hero of the Soviet Union, his nation's highest honour. Born in the village of Klushino near Gzhatsk, in his youth Gagarin was a foundryman at a steel plant in Lyubertsy. He later joined the Soviet Air Forces as a pilot and was stationed at the Luostari Air Base, near the Norwegian border, before his selection for the Soviet space programme with five other cosmonauts. Following his spaceflight, Gagarin became deputy training director of the Cosmonaut Training Centre, which was later named after him.

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Exhibition dedicated to first cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin opens in Russian capital

On this day in 1961, Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human to venture to space. At 9:07 A.M. Moscow Time, his rocket (a converted R-7 intercontinental ballistic missile) roared to life before climbing toward the heavens. “Poyekhali!” Gagarin shrieked, which translates to "Let's go!"

You might have seen headlines a few weeks ago that Yuri Gagarin was 'cancelled' or 'stripped of achievements' - turns out that's mostly untrue. Yuri was a hero to all mankind, and tonight is his night.

Yuri Gagarin, the first person in space, has had his name removed from a Space Foundation fundraiser

In 1968, the USSR developed the FM-2 Phantom Mannequin to study the effects of cosmic radiation on the human body. The sculptors used the likeness of Yuri Gagarin, the first human to fly to space, for the robot's face. FM-2 flew around the moon during the Zond-7 mission in 1969.

Hundreds of drones were launched in the night sky in the city of Veliky Novgorod in Russia to commemorate the 60th anniversary of Yuri Gagarin's journey to space.

What Yuri Gagarin Saw From Orbit Changed Him Forever

First in Space: New Yuri Gagarin Biography Shares Hidden Side of Cosmonaut

Yuri Gagarin in Manchester

Today marks two major spaceflight anniversaries: On April 12, 1961, Yuri Gagarin became the first human to venture to space. And on April 12, 1981, NASA launched its first space shuttle mission, STS-1.

Yuri Gagarin, First Man in Space (Photo Gallery)

In Pictures: 60 years since Gagarin’s historic spaceflight | Russia celebrates the 60th anniversary of the legendary flight that made Yuri Gagarin the first man in space.

Yuri Gagarin: Sixty years since the first man went into space

From Yuri Gagarin's launch to today, human spaceflight has always been political

Yuri Gagarin: How the first man in space sparked a conspiracy theory

'World of Tanks' honors the 60th anniversary of Yuri Gagarin's historic spaceflight with 'To the Stars!' event

Russia's Soyuz 2 sports new look inspired by first cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin's rocket

When Yuri Gagarin returned to earth after being the first man in space. He touched down on a farm almost 300km away from the intended landing site and surprised Kazakh farmer and his young daughter.