Yuri Gagarin: The Road to Space — 108 Minutes That Changed the World On April 12, 1961, a simple Russian boy from the village of Klyushino took a step into infinity. His smile became the symbol of the USSR, and his flight the greatest technological breakthrough of the 20th century. Yuri Alekseyevich Gagarin (1934–1968) — a man whose name is known on all continents. His first space flight forever etched him into history, transforming him from an unknown pilot into a mythological figure. But behind the triumph stood titanic work, risk, and the unique character of a man who perfected the work of his life. 108 minutesduration of the first space flight Childhood and the Choice of Path Yuri Gagarin was born on March 9, 1934, in the village of Klyushino in Smolensk Oblast in a peasant family. His childhood fell during the difficult war years. Occupation, ruins, constant hunger — all this tempered his character. After the war, the family moved to Gzhatsk (now Gagarin), where Yuri became interested in aeromodelling, and then entered the Saratov Industrial Technical College, as well as the aeroclub. In 1955, Gagarin made his first solo flight on a Yak-18. After graduating with honors from the First Chkalov Military Aviation School of Pilots in Orenburg, he became a fighter pilot. Space then seemed like science fiction, but it was the talent and composure of the young lieutenant that attracted the selectors. Selection and the Gagarin Smile In 1959, the Soviet Union began a secret selection for the first cosmonaut group. The criteria were strict: age up to 35 years, height not exceeding 170 cm (due to the size of the "Vostok" spacecraft), excellent health, ideal flight training, and weight up to 72 kg. Out of three thousand candidates, 20 were selected, and then six, who began final training. Gagarin was not the strongest physically. For example, German Titov showed better results in the centrifuge and thermocameras. But Gagarin had something that cannot be measured — inc ... Read more