Photo location: Construction and assembly of the Vostok space capsule at the Design Bureau OKB-1 (today RKK Energiya) in Podlipki near Moscow (today Korolev), under the direction of Sergei Korolev.

Vostok space capsule. The photo shows the Vostok space capsule with which Yuri Gagarin became the first human to fly into space on April 12, 1961. A “Space First” achievement of Soviet spaceflight.

Description of the space capsule:
Vostok 1 was a spherical space capsule with a diameter of approximately 2.3 meters, designed for a single person.
It consisted of two main parts: the landing capsule, in which Gagarin sat, and an instrument module that was separated during reentry.
The capsule was equipped with life support systems, a small window, and control instruments.

Significance of the flight:
On April 12, 1961, Gagarin launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome with the Vostok-1 rocket and orbited the Earth in 108 minutes.
From space, he transmitted the famous words “Poyekhali!” (Let’s go!) — a symbol for the beginning of the human space age.
After reentry, Gagarin ejected from the capsule with a parachute, as Vostok was not designed for a soft landing.
The photo documents a milestone in spaceflight history, symbolizing the Soviet Union’s then-superiority in the space race and laying the foundation for future crewed missions.