Who is Yuri Gargarin? The Space Race Essay Example

Who is Yuri Gargarin? Yuri Gagarin was the first person to fly in space. The flight occurred on April 12, 1961,  he circled the earth for about 108 minutes completing one orbit around the earth in the Soviet Union's Vostok spacecraft. Gagarin came back as a hero in the Soviet Union. A 30 year old cosmonaut who grew up as a normal kid in russia became a legend and changed the world making way for future advancements in space technology This event was important to history because it affected the space race, It made it possible for advancements in aerospace tech and inspired everyone that they could do whatever they put there mind too.

The Space Race is important because it shows the world which country has the best science and the best technology. both the United States and the Soviet Union realized how important rocket research would be not only to be first but for their militaries. Before Yuri's mission the soviet union was already ahead by sending up the first artificial satellite into space october 1957. Yuri Gargarian being in space for the first time meant the Russians had the lead, making the U.S step up their game. On may 5th 1961 23 days after gagarin alan shepard an american astronaut launched into space.

Gagarin's mission required a rocket that could propel his spacecraft fast enough to sustain a speed of some 17,000 miles per hour. According to the article (5 big changes in space since Yuri Gagarin's flight) Less than a decade later, NASA's Saturn V rocket achieved the speed required to escape Earth's gravitational pull This milestone made it possible to put men on the moon.

The third of four children, Yuri Alekseyevich Gagarin was born on March 9, 1934, in a small village a hundred miles from Moscow. More than 200 Russian Air Force fighter pilots were selected as cosmonaut candidates. Such pilots were considered because they had experience with high-stress situations. Gagarin, a 27-year-old senior lieutenant at the time, was among the pilots selected. From there he followed dream, worked hard and achieved the thought to be unachievable. On March 27, 1968, Gagarin was killed while test-piloting a jet fighter aircraft. NASA's Apollo 11, the first mission to put people on the moon, landed in July 1969, and the crew left behind a medallion bearing Gagarin's name. 

Yuri gargarion going into space for the first time changed the space race, made it possible for man to get on the moon and inspired the world showing that you can do whatever you put your mind to.