This week, we celebrate the 63rd anniversary of a major moment in the history of space exploration and aeronautics; the first man to journey into outer space, Yuri Gagarin. Born in 1934 in Klushino, Russia, Yuri Gagarin grew up on a farm, the third of four children.
His journey into aviation began when he joined an AeroClub during his technical schooling in Saratov. Developing a passion for flying, this propelled him to the Orenburg Military Pilot’s School in 1955, setting the stage for his future as the first human to journey into space.
The Right Man for the Job
Yuri Gagarin became a Soviet air force lieutenant, and was selected among 20 pilots for spaceflight training in 1960. Distinguished for his physical and psychological suitability, he joined the elite ‘Sochi Six’ for the Vostok program. Gagarin’s exceptional qualities and compact stature made him the prime candidate for the historic Vostok 1 mission.
On April 12th, 1961, Vostok 1’s five first-stage engines and four side-boosters propelled Yuri Gagarin into a suborbital trajectory before separating, leaving only the core stage. The craft then reached outer space, where Gagarin orbited Earth for 108 minutes before safely returning to Kazakhstan. Yuri had become the inaugural human to orbit Earth, gaining international fame and promoting Soviet space success.
In 1962, Yuri Gagarin then began his tenure as a deputy to the Supreme Soviet, ultimately being barred from further spaceflights, as the Soviets were hesitant to risk injury to their national hero. On March 27, 1968, Yuri Gagarin tragically died in a plane crash near Kirzhach during a routine flight from Chkalovsky Air Base. Gagarin was honored with a burial in the Kremlin’s wall on Red Square.
The Wrap
Gagarin’s journey from a farm in Russia to the forefront of space exploration symbolizes the pinnacle of human ambition and technological achievement. His monumental orbit around Earth in 1961 forever etched his name in history. Gagarin’s legacy continues to inspire, even after his untimely death in 1968, reminding us of the boundless possibilities that lie within the spirit of exploration.
Go Deeper –> 50 Years of Humans in Space – Yuri Gagarin – European Space Agency
