This Monday, April 12, 2021 is an anniversary date for lovers of the stars and also of the conquest of space. Indeed, 60 years ago, the Soviet Yuri Gagarin made history by becoming the first man in space. A first step before the great epic of the trip to the moon.
"A NEW ADVENTURE IN THE HISTORY OF HUMANITY"
So it has been 60 years since the Soviet Yuri Gagarin made history by becoming the first man in space. The smile of Yuri Gagarin before takeoff forces admiration. If he was chosen from among the elite of Soviet fighter pilots, it was also for his nerves of steel. On April 12, 1961, the mission was secret. At 27, Yuri Gagarin climbs on top of a rocket designed to propel a nuclear charge. No one can say if he will survive and the most optimistic do not give him a half chance.
Throughout the ascent, he reassures the ground teams. « Gagarin's first words reflect the fantastic adventure of space travel (…) Thank you Gagarin for opening the door for us to this new adventure in the history of mankind", recounts Jean-Francois Clervoy, astronaut. The capsule spins at 28 km / h while the USSR finally officially announces the attempt. In the midst of the Cold War, the whole world is stunned, the United States is humiliated.
