Yuri Gagarin was born on 9th March 1934 in Klushino, Soviet Union, and he died on 27th March 1968 (aged 34 years) in Kirzhach, Russia. Yuri was the first human to journey into outer space when his spacecraft ‘Vostok’ completed an orbit of the Earth on 12th April 1961. He was a pilot with the ranking of a colonel in the Soviet Airforce. He joined the Soviet Airforce in 1955 and was training to be an astronaut by 1960. 108-minute flight gave him a permanent place in the history books as the first man in space. He was a keen sportsman all his life and played ice hockey and was a basketball fan.
Do you know: Yuri Gagarin was awarded the ‘Hero of the Soviet’, the highest award given in his nation after his successful launch into space.
