50 years ago people flew into space for the first time

Half a century ago, astronaut Yuri Gagarin became the first person to enter the universe, marking a bold mark in human history and creating the greatest achievement of the Soviet Union during the Cold War.

Yuri Gagarin was the first person to fly into space on April 12, 1961. Photo: ABC News.

Gagarin's flight on April 12, 1961, at the age of 27, was still the pride of the former Soviet people and Russia today. They considered it the greatest achievement of the country during the socialist period. Gagarin's death in an accident seven years later made his name more revered.

The Eastern spacecraft with Gagarin was launched into orbit from Baikonur space airport in Kazakhstan at 9:07 pm Moscow time April 12, 1961. After completing the flight, Gagarin jumped out of the cabin and landed safely with parachutes. He landed in a field in Saratov province. The entire flight lasts for 108 minutes.

The first to meet Gagarin when he landed were Anna Takhtarova, a farmer, and her 4-year-old grandson Margarita.

' I saw something big and orange with a giant head rushing towards us. My grandmother helped Yuri Gagarin take off her helmet by pressing a button. When a face appears with a smile, we understand that a person is standing in front of us , "Margarita, a 4-year-old child that day, recalled in an interview organized by the daily Komsomolskaya Pravda.

Hundreds of thousands of Russians flocked to the streets of the former Soviet capital when they learned that Gagarin had flown into space successfully. The event shows the leading role of the Soviet Union in the race to space. That position belonged to the Soviet Union until the United States brought the man to the moon in 1969. The presence of Gagarin in Russia was shown through his 40-meter-tall titanium statue in Moscow. His arms stretched out to the sides like a superman preparing to fly to the sky.

General Secretary Nikita Khrushchev, the Soviet leader at the time, used Gagarin's reputation to promote peace in the world. Astronauts are sent to many countries as peace and friendship messengers. He met many leaders, including the Queen of England.

' This achievement shows the talent of the Soviet people and the socialist regime ', AFP quoted a sentence in the Kremlin's statement after April 12, 1961.

The US modestly responded to the Soviet Union by sending astronaut Alan Shepherd into orbit on May 5, 1961. However, the Shepherd's flight only took place in 15 minutes and 22 seconds, so the ship could not fly all around the globe. It wasn't until nearly a year after Gagarin's flight that the United States made the flight around the earth. The flight, bringing astronaut John Glenn, took place on February 20, 1962.

Astronaut Gagarin farewell friends before stepping on the spacecraft on April 12, 1961. Photo: topfoto.co.uk.

AFP said the Russian government will take advantage of the 50th anniversary of Gagarin's flight into space to help the people of Russia and the world remember the achievements of the former Soviet Union, and remind the public that Russia is still a force. international school.

Gagarin was selected by the Soviet government only four days before the Oriental ship was launched. This decision made him famous throughout the planet . Even Gagarin's popularity overshadowed Sergei Korolev's role, the designer of the Gagarin spacecraft. As an outstanding scientist, Korolev was imprisoned in the purge of Stalin leader. However, he survived and worked tirelessly when participating in the Soviet space program. Korolev died in 1966 while studying a large rocket named N1. He hoped N1 could help the Soviet Union take people to the moon.

When Gagarin died on March 27, 1968, a driver's license, 40 rubles and a photo of Korolev were found in his pocket.

Just over a year after the death of Gagarin, American astronaut Neil Armstrong placed the first human steps on the moon. The ship carrying Armstrong landed on the moon on July 20, 1969.