Yuri Gagarin: The First Human in Space

On April 12, 1961, Yuri Gagarin became the first human in space.
He orbited Earth once aboard the spacecraft Vostok 1.
The entire mission lasted just 108 minutes.
Gagarin famously declared, “Poyekhali!” (“Let’s go!”) at liftoff.
His flight proved humans could survive and work in space.
Gagarin became an instant global hero and Soviet icon.
At age 27, he was the youngest astronaut to make history.
He never returned to space but trained future cosmonauts.
Gagarin tragically died in a jet crash in 1968.
He remains a symbol of courage, exploration, and the dawn of human spaceflight.