Who became the first human to orbit Earth during the Vostok 1 mission?

Yuri Gagarin became the first human to orbit Earth during the Vostok 1 mission.

The Soviet cosmonaut launched on 12 April 1961 from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. His Vostok 1 spacecraft completed one orbit in 108 minutes, carrying him around Earth before he returned by parachute.

Gagarin’s flight was a major milestone in the Space Race between the Soviet Union and the United States. His radio call “Poyekhali!” is often translated as “Let’s go!” He became an international celebrity and received the title Hero of the Soviet Union.

Alan Shepard was the first American in space, but his Freedom 7 mission made a suborbital flight rather than an orbit. John Glenn later became the first American to orbit Earth, in February 1962. Neil Armstrong was the first person to walk on the Moon.