UN Declares April 12 As International Day Of Human Space Flight
UN (RIA Novosti) Apr 11, 2011 The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution at a special session on Thursday declaring April 12 as the International Day of Human Space Flight. The resolution was initiated by Russia, which celebrates Day of Cosmonautics on April 12 dedicated to the historic first manned flight to space by Russia's Yury Gagarin in 1961. "Fifty years have passed since that amazing voyage, but the legend of Gagarin's courage and journey to the 'final frontier' continues to be a source of inspiration for space exploration for peoples and nations around the world," Kiyo Akasaka, Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information, was quoted as saying on the UN Website. A photo exhibit was also opened at the UN headquarters to mark the 50th anniversary of the first human flight to space. On April 12, 1961, Gagarin performed space flight aboard the Vostok-1 spacecraft, orbiting Earth in 108 minutes and landing safely near Smelovka village in the Saratov Region's Ternovsky District.
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Time and space: Gagarin flight broke psychological barriers Paris (AFP) April 8, 2011 Viewed at the time through the narrow lens of Cold War rivalry, Yuri Gagarin's flight is now seen in a wider angle as forcing mankind to look beyond nationalism and at its own place in the cosmos. Launched into orbit aboard Vostok 1 on April 12 1961, the first man in space scored a massive propaganda victory for the Soviet Union in its battle with the United States. But Gagarin's 108-min ... read more |
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