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Yuri Gagarin: First Man in Space

Yuri Gagarin was a Russian pilot who became the first human to journey into outer space. On April 12, 1961, Gagarin achieved this milestone when he launched aboard Vostok 1 and orbited Earth. Following his historic flight, Gagarin became a national hero in the Soviet Union and travelled internationally to promote human spaceflight.

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274 views2 pages

Yuri Gagarin: First Man in Space

Yuri Gagarin was a Russian pilot who became the first human to journey into outer space. On April 12, 1961, Gagarin achieved this milestone when he launched aboard Vostok 1 and orbited Earth. Following his historic flight, Gagarin became a national hero in the Soviet Union and travelled internationally to promote human spaceflight.

Uploaded by

Spingo
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

MOHAMED YAZID GAIED TD1 L1 EVMAN

Biography: Yuri Gagarin

Part One:
Listen and fill in the blanks with the correct word(s): Please write all answers into the
blanks in a DIFFERENT color than black. For example in Blue or in Red or in Green (not
yellow, please).

Yuri Alekseyevich Gagarin was born on the 9th of March 1934 in a small village called
Klushino which is about a hundred and ninety kilometers from Moscow, Russia. His parents,
Alexey Ivanovich and Anna Timofeyevna worked on a collective farm which is where a
number of farmers work a farm together for the collective good, either for the benefit of the
community or the state. As well as Yuri, the couple had three other children.

When the Nazis advanced on Moscow during the second world war, the Gagarin residence
was taken over by a Nazi officer and the Gagarin family had to make do with a mud hut that
they were forced to build for themselves at the back of the house. Measuring only 3 meters
by 3 meters they lived there for nearly two years until the occupation ended. Valentin and
Zoya, Yuri’s older brother and sister were forced to move to Poland as slave labour in 1943
and they were not seen again until after the war ended in 1945. In 1946, the nearby town of
Gzhatsk became the new home for the Gagarins and Yuri was able to continue his education
there.

When Yuri Gagarin was 16 years old in 1950, he became an apprentice foundryman at a steel
plant near Moscow and took evening classes to complete 7th grade education. He graduated
in 1951 and entered into a training program to study tractors at the Saratov Industrial
Technical School. At the weekend, he trained as a Soviet air cadet at a flying club near to
Saratov and learned to fly.

In 1955, after he had graduated from technical school, he was drafted by the Soviet Army
and as he was already a pilot, he was sent to to the Air Force Pilot’s School located at
Orenburg which is about 600 km to the east of Moscow, near to the border with Kazakhstan.
There, he learned to fly the MiG-15 jet fighter and took his first solo flight in the plane in
1957.

On the same day he graduated from Orenburg, 7 November 1957, Yuri Gagarin married
Valentina Ivanova Goryacheva who was a medical technician graduate at Orenburg. They
went on to have two daughters together.

By this time the Soviet space program was accelerating and the race was on against the
United States to be the first to put a man into space and so, the search was on to find willing
and able pilots. After a long selection program, Yuri Gagarin and 19 other pilots were
selected. Due to their performances during the arduous training program, Yuri and another
pilot called Gherman Titov were shortlisted to make the first flight. In an anonymous vote by
the other 19 pilots, all but three said that Yuri Gagarin should be the first to fly into space, so
on the 12th of April 1961, he did aboard Vostok 1. Gherman Titov would become the second
to do so, aboard Vostok 2 on the 6th August the same year.

Following his historic flight, where he also became the first human being to orbit the Earth,
Yuri Gagarin became a national hero and celebrity around the world. The scale of the
demonstrations of support in cities throughout the USSR was second only to those
celebrating the end of the war.

He travelled quite a lot after this around Europe and visited the United Kingdom, Germany,
Canada, Brazil and Japan among others.

In 1962 Yuri Gagarin was elected to serve as Deputy to the Soviet of the Union, which is one
of the two Chambers of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. He was also elected to the Central
Committee of the Young Communist League and returned to the cosmonaut facility at Star
City to work on designs for reusable spacecraft. On the 12th of June the same year, he was
also promoted to lieutenant colonel and then again to colonel on the 6th of November 1963.

Yuri Gagarin became a deputy training director at Star City on the 20th of December 1963
and in 1966 he began training to re-qualify as a fighter pilot. On the 27th of March 1968,
during a training flight, the MiG-15 in which he and his flight instructor Vladimir Seryogin
were travelling crashed near the town of Kirzhach and both men were killed. The bodies of
pilots were cremated and they are buried in the walls of the Kremlin in Moscow.

Yuri Gagarin and his achievements have been commemorated in a number of ways. Since
1960, on the 12th of April, the date he flew into space was celebrated in the Soviet Union as
Cosmonautics Day. This, since 2011 has been recognised by the United Nations as the
International Day of Human Space Flight.

Comprehension questions: True or False. If false, justify your answer from the text. (highlight the
correct answer in pink) (the questions are not in chronological order) (5 pts)

1. Before becoming a pilot, Yuri was training to work with tractors. T


2. The USSR and the United Nations have both acknowledged his great achievement and celebrate
Human Space Flight. T / F
3. Nazi Officers gave Yuri an education during WWII. F
The Nazi Officers actually ended Yuri’s education because of the Nazi occupation in his village and his
family was forced to work and Yuri’s school was destroyed. He had to wait for moving in Gzhatsk in
1946 to continue his studies.
4. Yuri’s family was poor and suffered during the war. T
5. Yuri died with several other pilots while training to be astronauts at Star City. T

Common questions

Powered by AI

Yuri Gagarin's life story epitomizes the post-war Soviet narrative of overcoming hardship through collective effort and ideological commitment. Growing up in a Soviet collective farm and enduring life during World War II mirrored many Soviet citizens' experiences, fostering resilience and determination. His journey from a small village to becoming a global icon of human achievement symbolizes the aspirational values promoted by the Soviet regime, highlighting technological and ideological progress .

Yuri Gagarin was born in a small village called Klushino, near Moscow. His family faced significant hardships during World War II, including their home being occupied by a Nazi officer and having to live in a makeshift mud hut. His siblings were forcibly taken to Poland for slave labor, and the family's economic conditions were poor as they worked on a collective farm . After the war, Gagarin continued his education and became an apprentice foundryman, showcasing resilience and ambition despite early adversities .

Yuri Gagarin died on March 27, 1968, during a training flight when the MiG-15 he was flying with instructor Vladimir Seryogin crashed. His death was a significant loss for the Soviet space program and the broader space community, as he was not only a pioneering cosmonaut but also actively involved in designing reusable spacecraft and training new space personnel. The impact of his death was profound in Soviet society, emphasizing the risks associated with space exploration .

Yuri Gagarin, after his historic flight, returned to the cosmonaut facility at Star City, where he engaged in research and design work on reusable spacecraft. This development was significant as it paved the way for more sustainable and cost-effective space exploration. Reusable spacecraft are essential for future long-term missions, reducing costs and resource usage, thereby extending the feasibility and reach of human space activities .

During the Cold War, the Space Race was a significant aspect of US-Soviet rivalry. Yuri Gagarin's successful Vostok 1 mission on April 12, 1961, marked the USSR's triumphant milestone of putting the first human into space, which was a profound political and ideological victory over the United States. It demonstrated the prowess of Soviet technology and scientific advancement, bolstering national pride and symbolizing the possibility of communist superiority in technological and military capabilities .

Yuri Gagarin's legacy continues to influence global recognition of human space exploration, prominently through the International Day of Human Space Flight, observed on April 12th, commemorating his historic flight. Initially celebrated as Cosmonautics Day in the Soviet Union since 1960, it underscores the achievements of human ingenuity and space exploration worldwide, highlighting Gagarin's role as a pioneer in the field .

Yuri Gagarin's life and achievements are commemorated globally in several significant ways. April 12th is celebrated as the International Day of Human Space Flight, recognized by the United Nations, honoring his pioneering role in space exploration. Additionally, his remains were buried with honors in the Kremlin, a testament to his status in Soviet history. His decisive contribution to the Space Race has been celebrated in countries he visited, enhancing international recognition of his achievements .

After his spaceflight, Yuri Gagarin became a global symbol of Soviet space achievements and was celebrated widely, which increased his influence in the Soviet Union and internationally . He was elected as Deputy to the Soviet of the Union and to the Central Committee of the Young Communist League. Gagarin contributed to the development of reusable spacecraft in the Soviet space program and served as a deputy training director at Star City, where he was involved in the training of other cosmonauts and pilots .

Yuri Gagarin was selected for the Vostok 1 mission after an anonymous vote by the other 19 pilots selected for the Soviet space program, where all but three voted in favor of him. This decision was influenced by his exemplary performance during the rigorous training program and possibly his personal qualities such as resilience and composure, which were deemed essential for the historic and high-pressure nature of the mission .

Yuri Gagarin's contribution extended beyond his space exploration achievements as he became a significant political and social figure in the Soviet Union. Elected to the Soviet of the Union and the Central Committee of the Young Communist League, he wielded influence in promoting scientific and technological progress as part of the Soviet ideological framework. His status also served to inspire Soviet youth and bolster national identity and pride during the Cold War .

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