Vostok 1

Vostok 1 was the first human spaceflight, carrying Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin into orbit around the Earth on April 12, 1961. The mission lasted approximately 108 minutes, completing one orbit.

The Vostok 1 spacecraft consisted of a spherical descent module (also called a "capsule") housing the cosmonaut and instrumentation, and a conical equipment module containing propulsion and life support systems. The equipment module was discarded prior to re-entry.

Launch occurred from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic. Gagarin was launched into a perigee of 181 kilometers (112 miles) and an apogee of 327 kilometers (203 miles).

The mission was a significant achievement for the Soviet space program, demonstrating its capability to launch a human into space and return them safely to Earth. It marked a pivotal moment in the Space Race between the Soviet Union and the United States.

While generally considered a success, the mission was not without its risks. The Vostok spacecraft lacked a landing system, requiring Gagarin to eject from the capsule at an altitude of several kilometers and parachute to the ground separately. This detail was initially kept secret to meet the standards of the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) for crewed spaceflights. Furthermore, the Vostok spacecraft used a backup retrofire system that was not fully tested.