First Man in Space
April 12, 1961 · 20th Century
On April 12, 1961, Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin launched aboard the Vostok 1 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The automatically controlled capsule completed one orbit of Earth in 108 minutes, reaching a maximum altitude of 327 kilometers. Gagarin ejected from the capsule during descent and parachuted to the ground separately, landing near the city of Engels in the Saratov region. The flight made Gagarin the first human to travel into outer space and orbit the planet.
Key Figures
Sergei KorolevYuri Gagarin
Locations
Baikonur CosmodromeEngels, Saratov Region
Topics
engineeringsciencesoviet-unionspace
Connected Events — 3 Connections
Gagarin spaceflight demonstrated nations could operate in orbit creating urgent need for the international legal framework the Outer Space Treaty established Outer Space Treaty Signed
Soviet space program built on V-2 rocket technology transferred after the war through Operation Osoaviakhim First V-2 Rocket Attack on London
Soviet space medicine program's physiological research enabled Gagarin's survival as the first human in space Soviet Space Medicine Program Established
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