Every schoolboy knows who was the first man to be in space, but there is hardly many people who know what the call letters were Gagarin, or why this particular cosmonaut was selected for such an important role.
Why Yuri Gagarin?
Obviously, the choice of the person who first flew into space was long and complex.Among the candidates it had two dozen pilots, which nevertheless are not considered the best pilots in the country.Since the future astronaut chosen by the king, he first drew attention to such factors as height and weight, as the dimensions of the first space shuttle was very modest.Another condition was belonging to the Communist Party.
Preparations for the first flight has been complicated by the fact that the Soviet Union was ahead of America.Those lucky enough to go first into space, chose at the last minute.It was Yuri Gagarin and his alternate German Titov, Gagarin's call sign during the flight was "Cedar" and his partner - "Eagle".
Flight
Starting April 12, 1961, the ship "Vostok" off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome.Having made one revolution around the Earth, the ship completed its mission, after which the call Gagarin space, however, as the cosmonaut himself, became famous all over the world.
Since the braking system fails, the unit with a new world hero landed not in the prepared location - 110 km from Stalingrad, and next to Engels, in the village of Smelovka.He landed where hardly expected such a valuable guest, and it is unlikely that some one of the locals knew what the call was Gagarin.
Meeting cosmonaut
Since Gagarin landed in uninhabited areas, the first person he met, became a forester's wife and granddaughter.A little later came to the scene the military, who took custody of the lander and taken to a nearby part of the astronaut.Already being in part the division commander gave Gagarin a message in which he said that the mission was successful, and he is safe and sound.
At the same time from the airport to Engels went to a helicopter to find and take on board Gagarin.Astronaut on the landing site they were not caught, but local residents told them that he went to Engels on the truck.On the way to the city of Gagarin saw the pilot waving his arms and took him to go to the airport together.
On Engels airfield was already expected, so he could go to the base, to report on their successful work and that from that moment the whole world knew what the call letters were Gagarin's first flight into space.At the site he was handed a telegram of congratulations from the Government of the Soviet Union.In the tower, and then to the headquarters base of Yuri Gagarin, the cosmonaut with a worldwide reputation, was taken to the "Victory" so that he could Having reported to Moscow about the results of their work.
Report
Soon airfield in Engels were two aircraft on board which arrived deputy commander of the air force and team of journalists.While managers have established contact with Moscow, Gagarin was talking to journalists and photographed.Once contact has been established, Yuri Gagarin personally told Khrushchev and Brezhnev that the mission was successful.
Interesting facts
- Before "East" went into space, representatives Tass prepared just three posts.The first was in case the flight is successful, the second - if the ship does not land on the territory of the USSR, and the third - the death of the pilot and flight failure.Fortunately, only the first in handy.
- As a bonus Gagarin was the Volga named number that contains the date and the initials of the astronaut flight YUAG 12-04.
- After the death of Queen Gagarin suggested to bury him on the moon.
- In the Soviet Union, every child knew what the call letters were Gagarin.
- Since the flight, "the East" was held on autopilot actually Gagarin is an observer who would take control in the event of failure of the control system.
- One of the craters on the moon named after Gagarin.
- Gagarin's famous phrase, "Well, let's go!" - A quote taken from one of the heroes of Dickens.
The fact that the first manned space flight took place precisely in the Soviet Union, has become very important to strengthen the position of the USSR in the international arena.And this will benefit not only the USSR but also the astronaut who became famous all over the world, and a representative of any continent, and a nationally recognized, which call letters were Gagarin.
