41K views · 75 reactions | When Yuri Gagarin became the first human in space, the reaction was, if anything, more electric than when Sputnik launched. On April 12, 1961, the Soviets successfully sent cosmonaut Gagarin into space and brought him back alive. | American Experience | PBS | Facebook

146K views · 1.2K reactions | 57 years ago today Yuri Gagarin became the very first man in space  | UNILAD Tech | Facebook

1.9K views · 273 reactions | On May 5, 1961, NASA astronaut Alan...

Apr. 12, 1961: Yuri Gagarin became the first man to go into space, making one complete orbit around the planet into the Vostok capsule. It was launched with the R-7 Semyorka (Russian: Р-7 Семёрка), officially the GRAU index 8K71, a Soviet missile developed during the Cold War, and the world’s first intercontinental ballistic missile. In modified form, it launched Sputnik 1, the first artificial satellite, into orbit, and became the basis for the R-7 family which includes Sputnik, Luna, Molniya,

114K views · 3K reactions | On May 5, 1961, Alan Shepard became the first American to travel into space. abc7.la/1rsNsTt | ABC7 | Facebook

“What a beautiful view.” Alan Shepard became the first American in space 60 years ago today (May 5, 1961) when Freedom 7 lifted off atop a Mercury-Redstone rocket. The 15-minute flight gave us valuable data on how humans respond to microgravity, and set us on a path toward having a continuous human presence in space with the construction of the International Space Station decades later: youtu.be/YMptAi6Z8io | NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration