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Ever since the man first looked up and saw the stars in the sky, he had a dream to reach them. This came true on April 12, 1961, when the Vostok 1 spacecraft blast off, taking the first human, Yury Gagarin, into outer space. It was a giant leap closer to the stars, and tore us free from the limits of land. As we explore deeper into the Universe, let´s look back at that milestone 108-minute journey and see where space exploration is today – all thanks to Yury Gagarin and Soviet scientists.
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A film recreating what Russian cosmonaut Yury Gagarin saw 50 years ago during his historic trip into space has been released to mark the anniversary.
As the world marks 50 years since the first man traveled to space, RT spoke to Yury Gagarin’s daughter to get to know the legendary cosmonaut from a different angle.
As part of the 50th anniversary celebrations of Yury Gagarin’s space flight RT launched an easy-to-enter contest. Now that April 12 has arrived, it is time to congratulate our winners.
Soviet cosmonaut Viktor Gorbatko was involved in the space program from its early days and took part in three missions. In an interview with RT he recalled how he entered the cosmonaut regiment, met Gagarin and how going to orbit changed his life.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev believes man will eventually conquer other planets and has expressed his pride that a Soviet was the first person to fly into outer space, in an interview with China Central Television.
The man who introduced the flute to rock music, Ian Anderson, will give a performance with a Nasa astronaut, Catherine Coleman, on Tuesday, marking the 50th anniversary of Yury Gagarin’s historic space flight, on April 12.
The UN has declared April 12 International Day of Human Space Flight. It marks 50 years since Yury Gagarin became the first person to orbit Earth in a man-made spacecraft, leading the world into the era of space exploration.
A monumental feat is being celebrated across the globe. Fifty years ago, on April 12, 1961, Yury Gagarin blasted off, orbited Earth and made history, becoming the first man in space.
Secret FBI files have been released that detail how US officials witnessed a UFO explode over Utah and aliens landing near Roswell, New Mexico.
One of the best-loved symbols of Brussels, “Manneken Pis”, a bronze sculpture of a little boy peeing into a fountain, will undergo a dramatic change - from a cute naked child to a trained cosmonaut dressed in a space suit.
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Maksim Suraev What’s everyday life on the International Space Station like? Maksim Suraev, who is on a six-month stint at the orbital outpost, has the answer. Maksim is the first Russian cosmonaut to start a blog from zero-g. His accounts of orbital life and fresh photos from space are published on the website of the Russian Space Agency Roscosmos…
Sean Thomas Seals, icebergs, extreme weather, glaciers, presidents, scientific exploration and, of course, penguins; these are all a part of a day in the life of the Antarctic explorer. Since the very discovery of the Antarctic continent, Russia's tradition of icy exploration of the region has been a strong one…
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October 4 On October 4, 1957, the world entered the space era, as in the Soviet Union the first ever sputnik was launched.
August 19 On August 19, 1960, the Soviet stray dogs Belka and Strelka won themselves worldwide fame and glory after successfully performing a 24-hour Earth orbit on the Vostok spacecraft and returning back on Earth safe and sound.
December 21 On December 21, 1987, the three Soviet cosmonauts started the record-long space trip on board the Mir space station, spending 365 days, 22 hours, 39 minutes, and 47 seconds on the near-Earth orbit.
October 21 On October 21, 1975, Soviet unmanned craft Venera-9 became the first ever man-made object to orbit the planet Venus. The spacecraft’s probe touched the surface the following day and transmitted pictures back to Earth, also becoming the first mission to transmit photographs from the surface of another planet.
June 16 On June 16, 1963, Valentina Tereshkova of the Soviet Union became the first woman in space, spending 72 hours in Earth’s orbit on board spacecraft Vostok 6.
July 25 On July 25, 1984, Svetlana Savitskaya of the Soviet Union became the first woman to walk in space. Spending more than three and a half hours in outer space, Savitskaya earned top honors and fame back on Earth.
August 10 Among all the unusual weddings, ranging from spontaneous Las Vegas nuptials to themed ceremonies, the wedding of Yury Malenchenko and Ekaterina Dmitriyeva on August 10, 2003, tops the list. The happy couple became the first ever bride and groom to get hitched in space.
November 15 On November 15, 1988, the first and only Soviet “Buran” space shuttle was launched, making headlines across all the Soviet newspapers.
The first human was the Soviet cosmonaut Yury Gagarin
It used to be the dream of almost every boy in the Soviet Union – to become a cosmonaut; probably one of the most mysterious and romantic professions of all times. Cosmonaut is the term used in Russia and the former Soviet Union; in the U.S., the UK and most English-speaking countries astronaut is the common term and in China - taikonauts. The word cosmonaut derives from the Greek “kosmos” – meaning “universe” and “nautes” – meaning “sailor.”
