Gagarin continues to be internationally recognised as the first human in space and first to orbit the Earth. Sixty years ago, a man went into space for the very first time. From the beginning of the American Civil War begins to the first human in outer space, we've got it all covered! 1861 . His flight, on April 12, 1961, lasted 108 minutes as he circled the Earth for a little more than one orbit in the Soviet Union’s Vostok spacecraft. April 12 in history: American Civil War begins, Yuri Gagarin becomes first human in outer space and more. On this day in 1961,the first human space flight was carried out by Yuri Gagarin, a Soviet cosmonaut. On April 12, 1961, Gagarin was launched into orbit by a Vostok rocket and became the first man in space. Gagarin's 108-minute mission marked a historic achievement for the Soviet Union, which beat the US in a tight race to launch the first human into space… Before Gagarin, space engineers had hardly any experience with living creatures in space. Yuri Gagarin (1934-1968), a Soviet Air Force lieutenant, was chosen to be the first human to travel into outer space. Decades later, Gagarin's journey has become shrouded in myth after many details about the historic mission were for years kept secret by the Soviets. Sixty years ago on Tuesday, Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first person in space, securing victory for Moscow in its race with Washington and marking a new chapter in the history of space exploration. Gagarin's 108-minute mission on 12 April 1961 took the Space Age to a … Yuri Gagarin was the first person to fly in space. For the USSR, Yuri Gagarin’s single orbit of the Earth was a huge achievement and propaganda coup. Let's dive into today's history. After completing one orbit, the spacecraft's automatic controls … Even today, more than six decades after the historic flight, Gagarin is widely celebrated in Russian space He was killed in a plane crash while on … Gagarin became the first human to orbit the Earth, … Gagarin's spaceflight records were nonetheless certified and reaffirmed by the FAI, which revised its rules, and acknowledged that the crucial steps of the safe launch, orbit, and return of the pilot had been accomplished. Gagarin (1934-1968) became the first man in space when he orbited the Earth aboard Vostok 1 on 12 April 1961. Following the flight, Gagarin became a cultural hero in the Soviet Union. View in App. Russia is celebrating the 60th anniversary of Yuri Gagarin, the cosmonaut who was the first person in space. Gagarin, a 27-year-old senior lieutenant at the time, was among the pilots selected.