On 12 April 1961 at 9:07 a.m. Moscow time, Yuri Gagarin became the first human to travel into space.

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After the flight, Gagarin became an instant, worldwide celebrity, touring widely with appearances in Italy, Great Britain, Germany, Canada, and Japan to promote the Soviet achievement. 27-year-old Yuri not only grabbed the world’s headlines, but captured the imagination and hearts of a generation both in Russia and abroad.

Gagarin, who made history with his 1 hour and 48 minute flight around the globe, lost his life in a training accident. On March 27, 1968 Yuri and his instructor, Vladimir Seryogin, took off in a MIG-15 fighter.  It is not certain what caused the crash. Gagarin was 34 years old.