Photo location: Moscow — reception and celebrations on the occasion of Yuri Gagarin’s return after the first manned space flight in history on April 12, 1961.

Nikita Khrushchev receiving Yuri Gagarin in Moscow in 1961.
Significance: Khrushchev exploited the triumph politically to emphasize the superiority of the Soviet system and the progress of socialism.
Expression: He appears enthusiastic, proud, and perhaps emotional, as the space flight was regarded as a great victory in the Cold War.
The photograph symbolizes the close intertwining of space exploration and politics and shows how Khrushchev staged Gagarin’s success as a prestige gain for the Soviet Union.