Yuri Gagarin- 50th anniversary of the first human spaceflight

Russia celebrates the anniversary of the first human spaceflight on 12 Apr 1961 by Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin as Cosmonautics Day. The Russian Space Agency has invited heads of 49 space agencies and astronauts who took part in space expeditions on Soviet and Russian spacecraft to attend the 50th anniversary celebration in Moscow on Apr 12. Around the world, it is celebrated as Yuri's Night and celebrated with parties.

Gagarin was also the first human to orbit the earth. He was preceded into Space by a Russian dog, Laika.

The 1961 flight made Gagarin an international hero; he was awarded the Order of Lenin and made a deputy of the Soviet parliament, the Supreme Soviet. It represented a second propaganda coup for the Soviet Union during the Cold War -- the first was the launch of Sputnik -- and it heated up the space race with the United States. The United States didn't put a man into space until Alan Shepard's sub-orbital flight on 5 May 1961. NASA's Apollo missions to the Moon are regarded as a direct result of the need in the US to even the score.

Festivities in 54 countries are registered on the website www.yurisnight.net, which is maintained by the Space Generation Advisory Council. Even a research base in Antarctica marks Yuri's Night, according to the council, meaning the night is toasted on all seven continents.

Yuri Gagarin joined the Russian Air Force in 1955 and graduated with honors from the Soviet Air Force Academy in 1957. Soon afterward, he became a military fighter pilot. By 1959, he had been selected for cosmonaut training as part of the first group of USSR cosmonauts. He flew only the one space mission, circling Earth in Vostok 1 at a speed of 17,025 miles per hour. The flight lasted 108 minutes. At the highest point, he was some 203 miles above Earth. Although the controls were locked, a key was available in case he had to override the remote piloting. The cosmonaut ejected after reentry into Earth's atmosphere and landed by parachute. He was training for a second space mission when, on 27 Mar 1968, he was killed in the crash of a MiG-15 he was piloting.

Yuri's Night web
http://yurisnight.net/

Thousands Turn Out for Yuri's Night Celebration at NASA Ames (NASA 13 Apr 2010)
http://www.nasa.gov/centers/ames/news/releases/2010/10-29AR.html

Partying on the anniversary of Gagarin's flight (New Scientist/Culture Lab 12 Apr 2010)
http://www.newscientist.com/blogs/culturelab/2010/04/partying-on-the-annivers...

Video files Roscosmos Russian Space Agency http://www.federalspace.ru


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Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Yuri
• Gagarin
• 50th
• anniversary
• first
• human
• spaceflight
• Roscosmos
• Russian
• Federal
• Space
• Agency

[ficklesick]

i love this video; it gives more insight and even imagery of Yuri Gagarin's life and accomplishments in space unlike the documentary First Orbit which was a total disappointment. Thank you very much uploader! Gagarin is a hero for me.

[alfonsoalerinsua]

El mejor , lo máximo Yuri Gagarin. Super Hero

[FiestaRider]

Congratulations to Yuri and all of the guys who worked on this project and made its possible !

[IntstudyMAI]

Сongratulations!

[RudiVanDizzario]

Yuri Gagarin - the original Russian Hero!

[85LARGE]

Слава России!