Yuriy Alekseyevich Gagarin
From The Space Library
Yuri Gagarin launch and preflight with Sergei Korolov (April 1961)
Yuriy Alekseyevich Gagarin; Colonel, Red Air Force; born March 9, 1934, Gzhast Rayon, Smolsensk Oblast; died March 27, 1968 in a crash of a jet trainer; was married, two children. Attended Air School in Orenburg, Zhukovskiy Air Force Engineering Academy, and became a cosmonaut in 1960. He was the pilot of Vostok 1 (first man in Space), and backup pilot for Soyuz 1.
Yuri Alekseyevich Gagarin – Earth’s first cosmonaut. Last steps on the ground before his historic flight.
Yuri Gagarin, parade 1961
