Headed to History
Date: 12 Apr 1961

In this image we see Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin and his backup head to the launch pad before his historic flight. Gagarin was the first human being to fly in space.

Russia's powerful launch vehicle put Gagarin's capsule high enough for one 108-minute orbit of the Earth.

(Gagarin was killed in a jet crash in 1968.)

Credit: NASA