Photo location: Moscow — reception and festivities marking Yuri Gagarin’s return following the first manned space flight in history on April 12, 1961.

Nikita Khrushchev greeting Yuri Gagarin in Moscow, 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 demonstrates how Khrushchev staged Gagarin’s success as a prestige gain for the Soviet Union.