Gagarin, Yuri
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| − | {{ | + | {{Images OK}}{{Approved}}{{Copyedited}} |
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{{Infobox Astronaut | {{Infobox Astronaut | ||
| − | | name = Yuri Gagarin <br/> Юрий Гагарин | + | | name = Yuri Gagarin <br /> Юрий Гагарин |
| − | | image = Yuri Gagarin | + | | image = Yuri Gagarin (1961) - Restoration.jpg |
| type = Cosmonaut | | type = Cosmonaut | ||
| − | | nationality = | + | | nationality =[[Russian people|Russian]] |
| status = Deceased | | status = Deceased | ||
| date_birth ={{birth date|1934|3|9}} | | date_birth ={{birth date|1934|3|9}} | ||
| date_death ={{death date and age|1968|3|27|1934|3|9}} | | date_death ={{death date and age|1968|3|27|1934|3|9}} | ||
| − | | place_birth = | + | | place_birth =[[Klushino]], [[Soviet Union|USSR]] |
| − | | place_death = | + | | place_death = [[Kirzhach]], USSR |
| occupation =[[Aviator|Pilot]] | | occupation =[[Aviator|Pilot]] | ||
| rank =[[Polkovnik]], [[Soviet Air Force]] | | rank =[[Polkovnik]], [[Soviet Air Force]] | ||
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| time =1 hour, 48 minutes | | time =1 hour, 48 minutes | ||
| mission =[[Vostok 1]] | | mission =[[Vostok 1]] | ||
| − | | insignia = | + | | insignia = |
}} | }} | ||
| − | '''Yuri Alekseyevich Gagarin''' ({{lang-ru|Ю́рий Алексе́евич Гага́рин}}, '' | + | '''Yuri Alekseyevich Gagarin''', ({{lang-ru|Ю́рий Алексе́евич Гага́рин}}, ''Jurij Aleksejevič Gagarin'' {{IPA-ru|ˈjurʲɪj ɐlʲɪˈksʲeɪvʲɪtɕ gɐˈgarʲɪn}}; March 9, 1934 – March 27, 1968), [[Hero of the Soviet Union]], was a [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] [[cosmonaut]]. In 1957, the Soviet Union launched the first satellite into space, the [[Sputnik 1]], which inaugurated the "space race." Like the [[arms race]], from which it got its name, the space race was an area of technological competition between the [[United States]] and the Soviet Union. On 12 April 1961, he became the first human in space and the first to orbit the [[Earth]]. His flight served as a significant public relations ''coup'' for the Soviets. He received many medals from different countries for his pioneering tour in [[outer space]]. |
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== Early life == | == Early life == | ||
| − | Yuri Gagarin was born in the village of [[Klushino]] near [[Gzhatsk]] (now in [[Smolensk Oblast]], [[Russia]]), on | + | Yuri Gagarin was born in the village of [[Klushino]] near [[Gzhatsk]] (now in [[Smolensk Oblast]], [[Russia]]), on March 9, 1934. The adjacent town of Gzhatsk was renamed [[Gagarin (town)|Gagarin]] in 1968 in his honor. His parents, father Alexei Ivanovich Gagarin and mother Anna Timofeevna Gagarina, worked on a [[collective farm]].<ref name="time2006">{{cite web |url=http://www.time.com/time/europe/hero2006/gagarin.html |title=Yuri Gagarin |work=Time Europe ''via '' Time.com |first=Dennis |last=Tito |date= |accessdate=March 30, 2008}}</ref> While manual laborers are described in official reports as "peasants," this may be an oversimplification if applied to his parents; his mother was reportedly a voracious reader, and his father a skilled [[carpenter]]. Yuri was the third of four children, and his elder sister helped raise him while his parents worked. Like millions of people in the [[Soviet Union]], the Gagarin family suffered during [[Nazi]] occupation in [[World War II]]. His two elder siblings were sent to [[Germany]] as slave laborers in 1943, and did not return until after the war. While a youth, Yuri became interested in space and planets, and began to dream about traveling into space one day.<ref name="war years">{{cite book |title=Into That Silent Sea: Trailblazers of the Space Era, 1961-1965 |publisher=University of Nebraska Press |location=[[Lincoln, Nebraska|Lincoln]] |author=[[Francis French|French, Francis]]; [[Colin Burgess (author)|Burgess, Colin]] |pages=2 |year=2007 |isbn=0803211465 |oclc=71210133}}</ref> Yuri was described by his teachers in the Moscow satellite town of [[Lyubertsy]] as intelligent and hard-working, if occasionally mischievous. His mathematics and science teacher had flown in the [[Soviet Air Forces]] during the war, which may have made some impression on young Gagarin. |
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| − | Yuri was described by his teachers as intelligent and hard-working, if occasionally mischievous. His mathematics and science teacher had flown in the [[Soviet Air Forces]] during the war, which | ||
| − | After starting an apprenticeship in a metalworks as a foundryman, Gagarin was selected for further training at a technical high school in [[Saratov]]. While there, he joined the "AeroClub" | + | After starting an apprenticeship in a metalworks as a foundryman, Gagarin was selected for further training at a technical high school in [[Saratov]]. While there, he joined the "AeroClub," and learned to fly a light aircraft, a hobby that would take up an increasing proportion of his time. Through dint of effort, rather than brilliance, he reportedly mastered both; in 1955, after completing his technical schooling, he entered military flight training at the [[Orenburg]] Pilot's School. While there he met [[Valentina Goryacheva]], whom he married in 1957, after gaining his pilot's wings in a [[MiG-15]]. Post-graduation, he was assigned to [[Luostari]] airbase in [[Murmansk Oblast]], close to the [[Norway|Norwegian border]], where terrible weather made flying risky. As a full-grown man, Gagarin was 5 ft 2 in (1.57 m) tall, which was an advantage in the small [[Vostok spacecraft|Vostok]] [[cockpit]].<ref Name="time2006" /> He became [[Lieutenant]] of the [[Soviet Air Force]] on November 5, 1957 and on November 6, 1959 he received the rank of Senior Lieutenant.<ref name="astro">{{ru icon}} {{cite web |url=http://www.astronaut.ru/as_rusia/vvs/text/gagarin.htm |title=Юрий Алексеевич Гагарин |work=Astronaut.ru |date= |accessdate=March 30, 2008}}</ref> |
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== Career in the Soviet space program == | == Career in the Soviet space program == | ||
=== Selection and training === | === Selection and training === | ||
| − | In | + | In 1960, after an extensive search and selection process Gagarin was selected with 19 other cosmonauts for the [[Soviet space program]]. Along with the other prospective cosmonauts, he was subjected to a rigorous series of experiments designed to test his physical and psychological endurance; he also underwent intensive training for the upcoming flight. Out of the 20 selected, the eventual choices for the first launch were Gagarin and [[Gherman Titov]] because of their excellent performance in training, as well as their physical characteristics; space was at a premium in the small [[Vostok spacecraft|Vostok]] cockpit and both men were rather short. Gagarin's last-minute assignment, approved at the highest levels of the [[CPSU]], to take the historic flight, may have been due to Gagarin's modest upbringing and genial, outgoing personality, as opposed to the middle-class and somewhat aloof demeanor of Titov. Soviet officials weighed other factors as well in selecting Yuri: his appearance, his capacity to handle media attention, his Russian heritage and even the name—"[[Gagarin family|Gagarin]],"—which was also a family name associated with Tsarist aristocracy. |
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=== Space flight === | === Space flight === | ||
| − | + | On April 12, 1961, Gagarin became the first human to travel into [[outer space|space]] in ''Vostok 3KA-2'' ([[Vostok 1]]) and return. His call sign in this flight was Kedr ([[Siberian Pine|Cedar]]) ([[Russian language|Russian]]: Кедр).<ref name="Wade">{{cite web |url=http://www.astronautix.com/astros/gagarin.htm |title=Gagarin |work=Astronautix.com |date= |accessdate=March 30, 2008}}</ref> During his flight, Gagarin famously whistled the tune "The Motherland Hears, The Motherland Knows" (Russian: "Родина слышит, Родина знает").<ref name="autobiography">{{ru icon}} {{cite web |url=http://epizodsspace.testpilot.ru/bibl/gagarin/doroga/obl.html |title=Дорога в космос |work=Pravda ''via'' TestPilot.ru |first=Юрий |last=Гагарин |date= |accessdate=March 30, 2008}}</ref><ref name="sovmusic-download">{{cite web |url=http://www.sovmusic.ru/english/download.php?fname=rodinasl |title=Motherland Hears (download) |work=SovMusic.ru |accessdate=March 30, 2008}}</ref> The first two lines of the song are: "''The Motherland hears, the Motherland knows/Where her son flies in the sky''".<ref name="sovmusic-text">{{cite web |url=http://www.sovmusic.ru/english/text.php?fname=rodinasl |title=Motherland Hears (lyrics) |work=SovMusic.ru |accessdate=March 30, 2008}}</ref> This patriotic song was written by [[Dmitri Shostakovich]] in 1951 (opus 86), with words by [[Yevgeniy Dolmatovsky]]. | |
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| − | + | Legend has it that from orbit Gagarin made the comment, "I don't see any God up here." There are, however, no such words in the full verbatim record of Gagarin's conversations with the Earth during the spaceflight.<ref name="cosmoworld">{{ru icon}} {{cite web |url=http://www.cosmoworld.ru/spaceencyclopedia/gagarin/index.shtml?doc10.html |title=Полная стенограмма переговоров Юрия Гагарина с Землей с момента его посадки в корабль (за два часа до старта) до выхода корабля "Востока-1" из зоны радиоприема |work=Cosmoworld.ru |accessdate=March 30, 2008}}</ref> In a 2006 interview a close friend of Gagarin, [[Colonel]] Valentin Petrov, stated that Gagarin never said such words, and that the phrase likely originated from [[Nikita Khrushchev]]'s speech at the plenum of the [[Central Committee of the CPSU]], where the anti-religious propaganda suited party goals. In a certain context Khrushchev said, "Gagarin flew into space, but didn't see any God there".<ref name="ir73">{{ru icon}} {{cite web |url=http://www.interfax-religion.ru/orthodoxy/?act=interview&div=73&domain=1 |title=Я горжусь обвинениями в том, что ввел Юрия Гагарина в православие |work=Interfax-religion.ru |date= |accessdate=March 30, 2008}}</ref> Colonel Petrov also said that Gagarin had been baptized into the [[Orthodox Church]] as a child. | |
| − | While in orbit Gagarin was promoted "in the field" from the rank of Senior [[Lieutenant]] to [[Major]] | + | While in orbit Gagarin was promoted "in the field" from the rank of Senior [[Lieutenant]] to [[Major]]—the rank which [[TASS (USSR)|TASS]] used in its announcement of Gagarin's triumphant flight. |
| − | Gagarin | + | After Gagarin's safe return, Soviet Premier [[Nikita Khrushchev]] rushed to his side and Gagarin issued a statement praising the [[Communist Party of the Soviet Union]] as the "organizer of all our victories." Gagarin immediately became a national hero. Major newspapers all around the globe published his biography and details of his flight. [[Moscow]] (and other large cities in USSR) held parades, the scale of which were second only to [[World War II|WWII]] Victory Parades. |
| − | + | Gagarin was escorted in a long motorcade of high-ranking officials through the streets of [[Moscow]] to the [[Kremlin]] where, in a lavish ceremony, he was awarded the highest Soviet honor, the title of [[Hero of the Soviet Union]], by the Soviet leader [[Nikita Khrushchev]]. | |
| + | Khrushchev saw Gagarin's achievement as a vindication of his policy of strengthening the Soviet Union's missile forces at the expense of conventional arms. This policy antagonized the Soviet military establishment and contributed to Khrushchev's eventual downfall. | ||
| − | + | ===Fame and later life=== | |
| + | After the flight, Gagarin became an instant, worldwide celebrity, touring widely with appearances in [[Italy]], [[Great Britain]]<ref name="">{{cite web |url=http://www.wcml.org.uk/people/yuri.htm |title=A Thaw in the Cold War |work=WCML.org.uk |first=John |last=Callow |date= |accessdate=March 30, 2008}}</ref>, [[Germany]], [[Canada]], and [[Japan]] to promote the Soviet achievement. | ||
| − | + | In 1962, he began serving as a deputy to the [[Supreme Soviet]]. He later returned to [[Star City, Moscow|Star City]], the cosmonaut facility, where he worked on designs for a reusable spacecraft. Gagarin worked on these designs in Star City for seven years. Gagarin became [[Lieutenant Colonel]] (or [[Podpolkovnik]]) of the [[Soviet Air Force]] on June 12, 1962 and on November 6, 1963 he received the rank of [[Colonel]] ([[Polkovnik]]) of the Soviet Air Force.<ref name="astro" /> Wary of losing their hero in an accident, Soviet officials tried to keep him away from any flights. Gagarin was backup pilot for [[Vladimir Komarov]] in the [[Soyuz 1]] flight. After Komarov's flight ended in a fatal crash, Gagarin was ultimately banned from the space program for his protection. | |
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| − | Gagarin then became deputy training director of | + | == Death == |
| + | Gagarin then became deputy training director of Star City. At the same time, he began to re-qualify as a fighter pilot. On March 27, 1968, he and his instructor died in a [[Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15|MiG-15UTI]] on a routine training flight near [[Kirzhach]]. It is not certain what caused the crash, but a 1986 inquest suggests that the turbulence from a [[Sukhoi Su-11|Su-11 'Fishpot-C']] interceptor using its [[Afterburner (engine)|afterburners]] may have caused Gagarin's plane to go out of control. Weather conditions were also poor, which may have contributed to the inability of Gagarin and the instructor to correct before they crashed. | ||
| − | In his book | + | In his book, ''Two Sides of the Moon'', [[Alexei Leonov]] recounts that he was flying a helicopter in the same area that day when he heard "two loud booms in the distance." Corroborating the above hypothesis, his conclusion is that a Sukhoi jet (which he identifies as a [[Sukhoi Su-15|Su-15 'Flagon']]), flying below its minimum allowed altitude, "without realizing it because of the terrible weather conditions, passed within 10 or 20 meters of Yuri and Seregin's plane while breaking the sound barrier." The resulting turbulence would have sent the MiG into an uncontrolled spin. Leonov believes the first boom he heard was that of the jet breaking the sound barrier, and the second was Gagarin's plane crashing.<ref name="LeonovBook">{{cite book |title=Two Sides of the Moon |publisher=Thomas Dunne Books |location=[[New York City|New York]] |first=Alexei |last=Leonov |coauthors=Scott, David |year=2004 |pages=218 |isnb=0312308655 |oclc=56587777}}</ref> All found parts of the wrecked MiG-15UTI were collected and are stored in sealed barrels. |
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| − | [[ | + | A new theory, advanced by the original crash investigator in 2005, hypothesizes that a cabin vent was accidentally left open by the crew or the previous pilot, thus leading to [[oxygen deprivation]] and leaving the crew incapable of controlling the aircraft.<ref name="ScotlandSunday-GagarinInquiry">{{cite web |url=http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/world/Inquiry-promises-to-solve-Gagarin.2615429.jp |title=Inquiry promises to solve Gagarin death riddle |work=Scotland on Sunday |first=Ed |last=Holt |date= |accessdate=March 30, 2008}}</ref> |
| − | + | Gagarin is buried next to Seregin in the [[Kremlin Wall Necropolis|walls of the Kremlin]] on [[Red Square]]. | |
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| − | + | On April 12, 2007, the Kremlin vetoed a new investigation into the death of Gagarin. Some experts who had been involved in the original investigation had formulated a new theory, based on modern technology and investigative methods. Government officials said that they saw no reason to begin a new investigation.<ref name="belfast171">{{cite web |url=http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/world-news/article2442171.ece |title=Kremlin vetoes new inquiry into mystery death of Yuri Gagarin |work=Belfast Telegraph |first=Andrew |last=Osborn |date= |accessdate=March 30, 2008}}</ref> | |
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| − | Gagarin is | + | ==Legacy== |
| + | There were two [[commemorative coins of the Soviet Union|commemorative coins]] issued in the Soviet Union to commemorate twentieth and thirtieth anniversaries of his flight: 1 [[ruble|rouble]] coin (1981, copper-nickel) and 3 rouble coin (1991, silver). In 2001, to commemorate the fortieth anniversary of Gagarin's flight, a series of four coins bearing his likeness was issued in [[Russia]]: 2 rouble coin (copper-nickel), 3 rouble coin (silver), 10 rouble coin (brass-copper, nickel), 100 rouble coin (silver).<ref name="cbr">{{ru icon}} {{cite web |url=|title=База данных по памятным и инвестиционным монетам |work=CBR.ru}}</ref> | ||
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| + | ===Cosmonautics Day=== | ||
| + | Cosmonautics Day ([[Russian language|Russian]]: День Космонавтики) is a holiday celebrated (mainly in [[Russia]]) every April 12 to commemorate Gagarin's first manned earth orbit. It was established in the [[USSR]] on April 9, 1962 just prior to the first anniversary of Gagarin's flight. | ||
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| + | On Cosmonautics Day, the commemoration ceremony starts in the city of [[Korolyov (city)|Korolyov]], near Gagarin's statue. Participants then proceed under police escort to [[Red Square]] for a visit to Gagarin's grave in the [[Kremlin Wall Necropolis]], and continue to [[Cosmonauts Alley]], near the [[Monument to the Conquerors of Space]]. Finally, the festivities are concluded with a visit to the [[Novodevichy Cemetery]]. | ||
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| + | ===Yuri's Night=== | ||
| + | Yuri's Night is an international celebration held on April 12 every year to commemorate both Gagarin's flight as well as the launch of the first [[Space Shuttle program|Space Shuttle]], [[STS-1]], both of which took place on April 12, 20 years apart. Yuri's Night was created by [[Loretta Hidalgo]], [[George T. Whitesides]], and [[Trish Garner]]. The first Yuri's Night was held on April 12, 2001. Locations have included [[Los Angeles, California|Los Angeles]], [[Stockholm]], [[Antarctica]], the [[San Francisco Bay Area]], [[Tel Aviv]], [[Tokyo]], and the [[International Space Station]]. | ||
| − | + | The goal of Yuri's Night is to increase public interest in [[space exploration]] and to inspire a new generation of explorers. Driven by space-inspired artistic expression and culminating in a worldwide network of annual celebrations and educational events, Yuri's Night creates a global community of young people committed to shaping the future of space exploration while developing responsible leaders and innovators with a global perspective. These global events are a showcase for elements of culture that embrace space including music, dance, fashion, and art. | |
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| − | == | + | ==Notes== |
| − | + | {{reflist}} | |
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==References== | ==References== | ||
| − | + | *Cole, Michael D. ''Vostok 1: First Human in Space''. Springfield, New Jersey: Enslow Publisher, 1995. ISBN 0894905414{ | |
| − | + | *Doran, Jamie, and Piers Bizony. ''Starman The Truth Behind the Legend of Yuri Gagarin.'' London: Bloomsbury, 1998. ISBN 0747542678 | |
| − | + | *Gagarin, Yuri Alekseyevich; ''Survival in space''. New York, F.A. Praeger. 1969. | |
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| − | * Doran, Jamie, and Bizony | ||
==External links== | ==External links== | ||
| − | + | All links retrieved June 7, 2023. | |
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* [http://www.ffagency.com/gagarin/ List (with photos) of Gagarin statues] | * [http://www.ffagency.com/gagarin/ List (with photos) of Gagarin statues] | ||
* [http://yle.fi/elavaarkisto/?s=s&g=2&ag=12&t=283&a=02190 11 minutes long interview of Yuri Gagarin by The Finnish Broadcasting Company in 1961] | * [http://yle.fi/elavaarkisto/?s=s&g=2&ag=12&t=283&a=02190 11 minutes long interview of Yuri Gagarin by The Finnish Broadcasting Company in 1961] | ||
| + | * [http://www.yurisnight.net Yuri's Night - World Space Party] | ||
| − | + | [[category:Biography]] | |
| − | + | [[category:Politics]] | |
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[[Category:Politicians and reformers]] | [[Category:Politicians and reformers]] | ||
| − | {{credits|Yuri_Gagarin| | + | {{credits|Yuri_Gagarin|211940868|Yuri's_Night|210651056|Cosmonautics_Day|205334671}} |
Latest revision as of 10:29, 7 June 2023
| Yuri Gagarin Юрий Гагарин | |
|---|---|
_-_Restoration.jpg) | |
| Cosmonaut | |
| Nationality | Russian |
| Status | Deceased |
| Born | March 9 1934 Klushino, USSR |
| Died | March 27 1968 (aged 34) Kirzhach, USSR |
| Other occupation | Pilot |
| Rank | Polkovnik, Soviet Air Force |
| Space time | 1 hour, 48 minutes |
| Selection | Air Force Group 1 |
| Missions | Vostok 1 |
Yuri Alekseyevich Gagarin, (Russian: Ю́рий Алексе́евич Гага́рин, Jurij Aleksejevič Gagarin Russian pronunciation: [ˈjurʲɪj ɐlʲɪˈksʲeɪvʲɪtɕ gɐˈgarʲɪn]; March 9, 1934 – March 27, 1968), Hero of the Soviet Union, was a Soviet cosmonaut. In 1957, the Soviet Union launched the first satellite into space, the Sputnik 1, which inaugurated the "space race." Like the arms race, from which it got its name, the space race was an area of technological competition between the United States and the Soviet Union. On 12 April 1961, he became the first human in space and the first to orbit the Earth. His flight served as a significant public relations coup for the Soviets. He received many medals from different countries for his pioneering tour in outer space.
Early life
Yuri Gagarin was born in the village of Klushino near Gzhatsk (now in Smolensk Oblast, Russia), on March 9, 1934. The adjacent town of Gzhatsk was renamed Gagarin in 1968 in his honor. His parents, father Alexei Ivanovich Gagarin and mother Anna Timofeevna Gagarina, worked on a collective farm.[1] While manual laborers are described in official reports as "peasants," this may be an oversimplification if applied to his parents; his mother was reportedly a voracious reader, and his father a skilled carpenter. Yuri was the third of four children, and his elder sister helped raise him while his parents worked. Like millions of people in the Soviet Union, the Gagarin family suffered during Nazi occupation in World War II. His two elder siblings were sent to Germany as slave laborers in 1943, and did not return until after the war. While a youth, Yuri became interested in space and planets, and began to dream about traveling into space one day.[2] Yuri was described by his teachers in the Moscow satellite town of Lyubertsy as intelligent and hard-working, if occasionally mischievous. His mathematics and science teacher had flown in the Soviet Air Forces during the war, which may have made some impression on young Gagarin.
After starting an apprenticeship in a metalworks as a foundryman, Gagarin was selected for further training at a technical high school in Saratov. While there, he joined the "AeroClub," and learned to fly a light aircraft, a hobby that would take up an increasing proportion of his time. Through dint of effort, rather than brilliance, he reportedly mastered both; in 1955, after completing his technical schooling, he entered military flight training at the Orenburg Pilot's School. While there he met Valentina Goryacheva, whom he married in 1957, after gaining his pilot's wings in a MiG-15. Post-graduation, he was assigned to Luostari airbase in Murmansk Oblast, close to the Norwegian border, where terrible weather made flying risky. As a full-grown man, Gagarin was 5 ft 2 in (1.57 m) tall, which was an advantage in the small Vostok cockpit.[1] He became Lieutenant of the Soviet Air Force on November 5, 1957 and on November 6, 1959 he received the rank of Senior Lieutenant.[3]
Career in the Soviet space program
Selection and training
In 1960, after an extensive search and selection process Gagarin was selected with 19 other cosmonauts for the Soviet space program. Along with the other prospective cosmonauts, he was subjected to a rigorous series of experiments designed to test his physical and psychological endurance; he also underwent intensive training for the upcoming flight. Out of the 20 selected, the eventual choices for the first launch were Gagarin and Gherman Titov because of their excellent performance in training, as well as their physical characteristics; space was at a premium in the small Vostok cockpit and both men were rather short. Gagarin's last-minute assignment, approved at the highest levels of the CPSU, to take the historic flight, may have been due to Gagarin's modest upbringing and genial, outgoing personality, as opposed to the middle-class and somewhat aloof demeanor of Titov. Soviet officials weighed other factors as well in selecting Yuri: his appearance, his capacity to handle media attention, his Russian heritage and even the name—"Gagarin,"—which was also a family name associated with Tsarist aristocracy.
Space flight
On April 12, 1961, Gagarin became the first human to travel into space in Vostok 3KA-2 (Vostok 1) and return. His call sign in this flight was Kedr (Cedar) (Russian: Кедр).[4] During his flight, Gagarin famously whistled the tune "The Motherland Hears, The Motherland Knows" (Russian: "Родина слышит, Родина знает").[5][6] The first two lines of the song are: "The Motherland hears, the Motherland knows/Where her son flies in the sky".[7] This patriotic song was written by Dmitri Shostakovich in 1951 (opus 86), with words by Yevgeniy Dolmatovsky.
Legend has it that from orbit Gagarin made the comment, "I don't see any God up here." There are, however, no such words in the full verbatim record of Gagarin's conversations with the Earth during the spaceflight.[8] In a 2006 interview a close friend of Gagarin, Colonel Valentin Petrov, stated that Gagarin never said such words, and that the phrase likely originated from Nikita Khrushchev's speech at the plenum of the Central Committee of the CPSU, where the anti-religious propaganda suited party goals. In a certain context Khrushchev said, "Gagarin flew into space, but didn't see any God there".[9] Colonel Petrov also said that Gagarin had been baptized into the Orthodox Church as a child.
While in orbit Gagarin was promoted "in the field" from the rank of Senior Lieutenant to Major—the rank which TASS used in its announcement of Gagarin's triumphant flight.
After Gagarin's safe return, Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev rushed to his side and Gagarin issued a statement praising the Communist Party of the Soviet Union as the "organizer of all our victories." Gagarin immediately became a national hero. Major newspapers all around the globe published his biography and details of his flight. Moscow (and other large cities in USSR) held parades, the scale of which were second only to WWII Victory Parades.
Gagarin was escorted in a long motorcade of high-ranking officials through the streets of Moscow to the Kremlin where, in a lavish ceremony, he was awarded the highest Soviet honor, the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, by the Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev. Khrushchev saw Gagarin's achievement as a vindication of his policy of strengthening the Soviet Union's missile forces at the expense of conventional arms. This policy antagonized the Soviet military establishment and contributed to Khrushchev's eventual downfall.
Fame and later life
After the flight, Gagarin became an instant, worldwide celebrity, touring widely with appearances in Italy, Great Britain[10], Germany, Canada, and Japan to promote the Soviet achievement.
In 1962, he began serving as a deputy to the Supreme Soviet. He later returned to Star City, the cosmonaut facility, where he worked on designs for a reusable spacecraft. Gagarin worked on these designs in Star City for seven years. Gagarin became Lieutenant Colonel (or Podpolkovnik) of the Soviet Air Force on June 12, 1962 and on November 6, 1963 he received the rank of Colonel (Polkovnik) of the Soviet Air Force.[3] Wary of losing their hero in an accident, Soviet officials tried to keep him away from any flights. Gagarin was backup pilot for Vladimir Komarov in the Soyuz 1 flight. After Komarov's flight ended in a fatal crash, Gagarin was ultimately banned from the space program for his protection.
Death
Gagarin then became deputy training director of Star City. At the same time, he began to re-qualify as a fighter pilot. On March 27, 1968, he and his instructor died in a MiG-15UTI on a routine training flight near Kirzhach. It is not certain what caused the crash, but a 1986 inquest suggests that the turbulence from a Su-11 'Fishpot-C' interceptor using its afterburners may have caused Gagarin's plane to go out of control. Weather conditions were also poor, which may have contributed to the inability of Gagarin and the instructor to correct before they crashed.
In his book, Two Sides of the Moon, Alexei Leonov recounts that he was flying a helicopter in the same area that day when he heard "two loud booms in the distance." Corroborating the above hypothesis, his conclusion is that a Sukhoi jet (which he identifies as a Su-15 'Flagon'), flying below its minimum allowed altitude, "without realizing it because of the terrible weather conditions, passed within 10 or 20 meters of Yuri and Seregin's plane while breaking the sound barrier." The resulting turbulence would have sent the MiG into an uncontrolled spin. Leonov believes the first boom he heard was that of the jet breaking the sound barrier, and the second was Gagarin's plane crashing.[11] All found parts of the wrecked MiG-15UTI were collected and are stored in sealed barrels.
A new theory, advanced by the original crash investigator in 2005, hypothesizes that a cabin vent was accidentally left open by the crew or the previous pilot, thus leading to oxygen deprivation and leaving the crew incapable of controlling the aircraft.[12]
Gagarin is buried next to Seregin in the walls of the Kremlin on Red Square.
On April 12, 2007, the Kremlin vetoed a new investigation into the death of Gagarin. Some experts who had been involved in the original investigation had formulated a new theory, based on modern technology and investigative methods. Government officials said that they saw no reason to begin a new investigation.[13]
Legacy
There were two commemorative coins issued in the Soviet Union to commemorate twentieth and thirtieth anniversaries of his flight: 1 rouble coin (1981, copper-nickel) and 3 rouble coin (1991, silver). In 2001, to commemorate the fortieth anniversary of Gagarin's flight, a series of four coins bearing his likeness was issued in Russia: 2 rouble coin (copper-nickel), 3 rouble coin (silver), 10 rouble coin (brass-copper, nickel), 100 rouble coin (silver).[14]
Cosmonautics Day
Cosmonautics Day (Russian: День Космонавтики) is a holiday celebrated (mainly in Russia) every April 12 to commemorate Gagarin's first manned earth orbit. It was established in the USSR on April 9, 1962 just prior to the first anniversary of Gagarin's flight.
On Cosmonautics Day, the commemoration ceremony starts in the city of Korolyov, near Gagarin's statue. Participants then proceed under police escort to Red Square for a visit to Gagarin's grave in the Kremlin Wall Necropolis, and continue to Cosmonauts Alley, near the Monument to the Conquerors of Space. Finally, the festivities are concluded with a visit to the Novodevichy Cemetery.
Yuri's Night
Yuri's Night is an international celebration held on April 12 every year to commemorate both Gagarin's flight as well as the launch of the first Space Shuttle, STS-1, both of which took place on April 12, 20 years apart. Yuri's Night was created by Loretta Hidalgo, George T. Whitesides, and Trish Garner. The first Yuri's Night was held on April 12, 2001. Locations have included Los Angeles, Stockholm, Antarctica, the San Francisco Bay Area, Tel Aviv, Tokyo, and the International Space Station.
The goal of Yuri's Night is to increase public interest in space exploration and to inspire a new generation of explorers. Driven by space-inspired artistic expression and culminating in a worldwide network of annual celebrations and educational events, Yuri's Night creates a global community of young people committed to shaping the future of space exploration while developing responsible leaders and innovators with a global perspective. These global events are a showcase for elements of culture that embrace space including music, dance, fashion, and art.
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Tito, Dennis. Yuri Gagarin. Time Europe via Time.com. Retrieved March 30, 2008.
- ↑ French, Francis; Burgess, Colin (2007). Into That Silent Sea: Trailblazers of the Space Era, 1961-1965. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 2. ISBN 0803211465. OCLC 71210133.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 (Russian) Юрий Алексеевич Гагарин. Astronaut.ru. Retrieved March 30, 2008.
- ↑ Gagarin. Astronautix.com. Retrieved March 30, 2008.
- ↑ (Russian) Гагарин, Юрий. Дорога в космос. Pravda via TestPilot.ru. Retrieved March 30, 2008.
- ↑ Motherland Hears (download). SovMusic.ru. Retrieved March 30, 2008.
- ↑ Motherland Hears (lyrics). SovMusic.ru. Retrieved March 30, 2008.
- ↑ (Russian) Полная стенограмма переговоров Юрия Гагарина с Землей с момента его посадки в корабль (за два часа до старта) до выхода корабля "Востока-1" из зоны радиоприема. Cosmoworld.ru. Retrieved March 30, 2008.
- ↑ (Russian) Я горжусь обвинениями в том, что ввел Юрия Гагарина в православие. Interfax-religion.ru. Retrieved March 30, 2008.
- ↑ Callow, John. A Thaw in the Cold War. WCML.org.uk. Retrieved March 30, 2008.
- ↑ Leonov, Alexei and Scott, David (2004). Two Sides of the Moon. New York: Thomas Dunne Books, 218. OCLC 56587777.
- ↑ Holt, Ed. Inquiry promises to solve Gagarin death riddle. Scotland on Sunday. Retrieved March 30, 2008.
- ↑ Osborn, Andrew. Kremlin vetoes new inquiry into mystery death of Yuri Gagarin. Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved March 30, 2008.
- ↑ (Russian) Error on call to template:cite web: Parameters url and title must be specified. CBR.ru.
ReferencesISBN links support NWE through referral fees
- Cole, Michael D. Vostok 1: First Human in Space. Springfield, New Jersey: Enslow Publisher, 1995. ISBN 0894905414{
- Doran, Jamie, and Piers Bizony. Starman The Truth Behind the Legend of Yuri Gagarin. London: Bloomsbury, 1998. ISBN 0747542678
- Gagarin, Yuri Alekseyevich; Survival in space. New York, F.A. Praeger. 1969.
External links
All links retrieved June 7, 2023.
- List (with photos) of Gagarin statues
- 11 minutes long interview of Yuri Gagarin by The Finnish Broadcasting Company in 1961
- Yuri's Night - World Space Party
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