International Day of Human Space Flight 2023

International Day of Human Space Flight is celebrated every year on 12 April to commemorate the first space flight and the first human in space – Yuri Gagarin. The day is celebrated around the world to celebrate the pathbreaking achievement of mankind. This event opened new experiences for humankind and broaden the horizons of studies related to space and the cosmos. This marks a remarkable opportunity for humankind to delve deeper into the exploration of the universe. 

All About About Yuri Gagarin

Yuri Alekseyevich Gagarin or more commonly known as Yuri Gagarin was born on 9 March 1934 to a carpenter on a collective farm near Gzhatsk, Russia, USSR. He was a soviet cosmonaut who became the first man ever to travel to space in 1961. 

He graduated from a trade school near Moscow as a molder in 1951 and continued his studies at the industrial college at Saratov and simultaneously took a course on flying. After completing the course, he took admitted to the Soviet Air Force cadet school at Orenburg and graduated from there in 1957. 

On 12 April 1961, his 4 ¾ ton Vostok 1 spacecraft was launched at 9.07 am Moscow time

That orbited around the earth once every 1 hour and 29 minutes at an altitude of 187 miles (301 Km) and landed back in the Soviet Union at 10.55 am. This spaceflight brought him instant fame and worldwide recognition. He was awarded the order of the Soviet Union and was honored with the titles like Hero of the Soviet Union and Pilot Cosmonaut, monuments were raised to him and streets were named after him. Even though he never took a trip to space again but he actively participated in training other cosmonauts. He traveled to many nations post his historic flight and served as a deputy to the Supreme Soviet from 1962. He died due to a crash in a two-seat jet aircraft during a routine training flight. Post his death, his ashes were placed in a niche in the Kremlin wall and to honor him Gzhatsk was named Gagarin after him. 

Also Read: How to become a space scientist at ISRO

History and Significance of International Day of Human Space Flight

On 7 April 2011, the UN General Assembly in its resolution A/RES/65/271, declared April 12 as the International Day of Human Space Flight. 

The remarkable space endeavors of mankind began on 4 October 1957 when the first human-made Earth satellite Sputnik was launched into outer space. 

• It was the beginning of the space era for mankind.
• The achievements are celebrated to reaffirm the important contributions made by humans to the field of space science and technology and be able to achieve sustainable development goals and the well-being of people and states 
• It is an initiative to ensure the realization of their aspirations to continue to maintain outer space for peaceful purposes
• The UN General Assembly shares its deep conviction and common interest in promoting and exploring the use of outer space for peaceful purposes.

How is it Celebrated?

The following are the ways to celebrate the International Day of Human Space Flight:

• Visit a planetarium and explore your interest and passion for space and its related discoveries 
• You can always pick up an interesting book about space and learn more about it. You can also get to know about famous astronauts or cosmonauts 
• Another simple way to celebrate this day is to look up at the night sky and delve deeper into the concepts of space and the universe
• You can definitely share about the day and your thoughts about space on your social media handles 

Also Read: How to become an Astronaut in India

Interesting Facts About Space

We are constantly fascinated by space science. Everybody enjoys learning more and more about it. Here are some amazing space-related facts:

FAQs

Well, that was all about International Day of Human Space Flight. For more such interesting updates, keep following Leverage Edu and continue to share your feedback in the comments section below