Yuri Alekseyevich Gagarin (1934–1968) was a Soviet military pilot and cosmonaut. On April 12, 1961, he made history as the first human to orbit the Earth during a 108-minute flight aboard the Vostok 1 spacecraft. After his journey into space, he gained recognition both in the Soviet Union and around the world, visiting numerous countries and carrying out peace missions.

Childhood and Education

Yuri Gagarin was born on March 9, 1934, in the village of Klushino, in the Smolensk region, to a farming family. His father was a carpenter, and his mother was a dairy farmer. The third of four children, Gagarin experienced hardship with his family during World War II; they were displaced from their home, and his two older sisters were taken to labor camps during the occupation. He began his primary education in his village, and after the war, his family moved to Gzhatsk (today renamed Gagarin), where he continued his schooling. In 1949, after completing Gzhatsk Secondary School, he enrolled in the Lyubertsy Vocational School near Moscow, where he studied foundry work. At the same time, he attended evening classes to complete his secondary-level education.

Between 1951 and 1955, he studied foundry production at the Saratov Industrial Technical School. During his time in Saratov, he joined the AeroClub and took flight lessons, making his first training flight in a Yak-18 aircraft in 1954. After graduating in 1955, he entered the Chkalov Air Force Pilot School in Orenburg, where he trained on the MiG-15 fighter jet and earned his pilot’s wings.

Career

After graduating from the Chkalov Air Force Pilot School in 1957, Yuri Gagarin began serving in the Soviet Air Force with the rank of lieutenant, stationed at the Luostari air base of the Northern Fleet as a MiG-15 pilot. In 1959, he was promoted to senior lieutenant and soon distinguished himself through his discipline and dedication. In 1960, he was selected as one of 20 pilots in a secret cosmonaut training program and became part of the elite group known as the “Sochi Six.” His physical fitness, short stature, and academic skills made him a prime candidate for the Vostok program. After undergoing intense training and psychological testing, he was chosen to make the historic flight, becoming the first human to orbit the Earth aboard Vostok 1 on April 12, 1961. This achievement turned him into an international icon. Following his success, he was promoted to the rank of colonel and sent around the world as a representative of the Soviet Union, serving as a “peace ambassador.”

From 1965 onward, Gagarin returned to active training for the Soyuz program. In 1967, he was assigned as the backup pilot for the Soyuz 1 mission. However, after the mission ended tragically with the death of its main pilot, Vladimir Komarov, Gagarin was no longer permitted to undertake another spaceflight. Around the same time, he studied engineering at the Zhukovsky Air Force Engineering Academy and, in 1968, earned his diploma in aviation and spacecraft engineering. In the later years of his career, he worked as an administrator at the Cosmonaut Training Center, contributing to the preparation of new cosmonauts.

The Vostok 1 Flight

On April 12, 1961, Yuri Alekseyevich Gagarin carried out the first manned spaceflight in history aboard the Vostok 1 spacecraft. Launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome at 9:07 a.m. Moscow time, the vehicle carried Gagarin into Earth’s orbit for a journey lasting 108 minutes. At liftoff, he famously exclaimed “Poyekhali!” (“Let’s go!”), a phrase that became the symbolic expression of the flight.

Vostok 1 consisted of a spherical descent module, about 2.3 meters in diameter, on its upper section, and a service module in the lower section housing the control and propulsion systems. Inside the capsule, Gagarin took his position under the call sign “Kedr.” The spacecraft was operated by an automatic control system; in case manual control was needed, a special key was sealed in an envelope to be used only in emergencies.

Upon reaching orbit, the spacecraft climbed to an altitude of 203 kilometers and reached a maximum speed of about 27,400 kilometers per hour. During the flight, Gagarin’s tasks included recording his medical indicators, monitoring the functioning of the spacecraft, and visually observing Earth.

During re-entry, the automatic system activated as planned, performing the braking maneuver. As the capsule re-entered Earth’s atmosphere, Gagarin ejected from his seat at an altitude of 7,000 meters and parachuted safely to the ground. The capsule and the cosmonaut landed in different locations; Gagarin touched down safely near the village of Smelovka in the Saratov region.

This flight proved that humans could adapt to the conditions of space. Gagarin’s historic journey resonated across the Soviet Union and the entire world. He was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union and received the Order of Lenin. The mission marked a decisive Soviet advantage in the Space Race during the Cold War.

^{Yuri Gagarin’s Capsule and Space Suit (flickr)}

Legacy and Impact

Yuri Gagarin’s Vostok 1 flight in 1961 is regarded as a milestone that effectively marked the beginning of human access to space. This achievement strengthened the international prestige of the Soviet Union and contributed to the acceleration of space exploration. Beyond inter-state rivalry, Gagarin became a symbol of humanity’s collective scientific endeavor. His name has been given to cities, institutions, and schools, and he has been honored with statues and monuments. A crater on the Moon and an asteroid were also named after him.

Death

On March 27, 1968, Gagarin lost his life in the Vladimir region during a routine training flight with Vladimir Seryogin, when their MiG-15UTI aircraft crashed. His ashes were interred in the Kremlin Wall Necropolis in Moscow. Gagarin’s legacy lies in proving that human space travel was possible and in paving the way for subsequent manned missions. For this reason, April 12 is still commemorated in many countries today as the International Day of Human Space Flight.