Yuri Gagarin Before Spaceflight 1961 13

Description

Yuri Gagarin before spaceflight, photo; licensed article; original: 5740×4315; photographer: Unknown; subject to license; rights: 9 Bleek/zb Media. Significance of the flight:
On April 12, 1961, Gagarin launched with the Vostok 1 rocket from Baikonur Cosmodrome and orbited the Earth in 108 minutes.
He reported the famous words from space “Поехали!” (Let’s go!) – a symbol for the start of the human space age.
After re-entry, Gagarin parachuted out of the capsule since the Vostok was not designed for a gentle landing.
The photo documents a milestone in space history, symbolizing the Soviet Union’s then-leading position in the space race and laying the foundation for future manned missions.