1968day.year
Yuri Gagarin
(1934 - 1968)
Russian colonel, pilot, and astronaut
Russian colonel
pilot
and astronaut
Soviet Air Force pilot and cosmonaut who became the first human to journey into outer space.
Yuri Gagarin made history on April 12, 1961, when he piloted Vostok 1 and became the first human to orbit the Earth. Born in 1934, he trained as a fighter pilot before being selected for the Soviet space program. His 108-minute flight marked a milestone in the Space Race and made him an international hero. After his flight, Gagarin toured globally, promoting peaceful uses of space exploration. He continued to serve as a training instructor for other cosmonauts until his untimely death in a jet crash in 1968. Gagarin's courage and optimism inspired generations of space enthusiasts and remain a symbol of human achievement.
1968
Yuri Gagarin