Yuri Gagarin was the first person to travel into outer space. How it happened
- On April 12, 1961, Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin launched aboard Vostok 1.
- He completed one orbital trip around Earth, a flight lasting about 108 minutes from launch to landing. This made him the first human to journey into outer space.
Context and significance
- Gagarin’s historic flight occurred during the early years of the Space Race, establishing a milestone in human spaceflight and elevating him to international prominence.
- The mission demonstrated that a human could survive and operate in space for an orbital duration and return safely to Earth.
Notes
- While Alan Shepard was the first American in space (May 5, 1961) and the second person in space, his flight occurred after Gagarin’s, making Gagarin the first overall.