On April 12, 1961, the Soviet Union launched Yuri Gagarin on a
successful one-orbit flight. The U.S.S.R. quickly publicized the
historic feat—a major propaganda victory. The Soviets placed five more
cosmonauts in orbit over the next two years, including the first woman
in space.
Yuri Gagarin was a young Soviet air force pilot when selected with 20
others for cosmonaut training in 1960. His historic single orbit around
Earth on April 12, 1961, took only 108 minutes from ignition to landing.
After Gagarin returned and the Soviet press released news of his
flight, he became an international hero.
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