Photo location: Baikonur Cosmodrome (then Tyuratam) in Kazakhstan — preparation for Yuri Gagarin’s first manned spaceflight on April 12, 1961.

Yuri Gagarin before spaceflight. Significance of the flight:
On April 12, 1961, Gagarin launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome aboard the Vostok-1 rocket and orbited the Earth in 108 minutes.
He transmitted from space the famous words “Поехали!” (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 photograph documents a milestone in spaceflight history, symbolizing the Soviet Union’s then-dominant position in the space race and laying the foundation for future manned missions.