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

Yuri Gagarin before space flight. Significance of the flight:
On April 12, 1961, Gagarin launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome aboard the Vostok-1 rocket and orbited the Earth in 108 minutes.
From space he uttered the famous words “Поехали!” (Let’s go!) – a symbol marking the beginning of human spaceflight.
After re-entry, Gagarin ejected from the capsule with a parachute, as the Vostok was not designed for a soft landing.
This photograph documents a milestone in spaceflight history, symbolizing the Soviet Union’s then-dominant position in the space race and establishing the foundations for future crewed missions.