History Today: How Yuri Gagarin became the first human in space

One of the biggest events of the decade took place on April 12 when Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin travelled to space and became the first human to journey into outer space in 1961. His vehicle, Vostok 1 circled Earth at a speed of 27,400 kilometres per hour with the flight lasting 108 minutes.

If you are a history geek who loves to learn about important events from the past, Firstpost Explainers’ ongoing series, History Today will be your one-stop destination to explore key events.

In 1981, Nasa launched the first space shuttle Columbia into space which marked a new era in space exploration. Meanwhile, the American Civil War officially began on this day in 1861 when Confederate forces opened fire on Fort Sumter, a federal stronghold in Charleston Harbor, South Carolina.

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Here is all that happened over the years on April 12 across the world.

Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space

Today the United States, Russia and several other nations including India have established strong space programmes. But there was a time when sending man to space was a difficult task and remained untouched for years. This changed when the Soviet Union flew cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin there on April 12, 1961.

At just 27 years old, Gagarin launched aboard Vostok One, a spacecraft developed by the Soviet Union, and completed an orbit around the Earth in a mission that lasted just 108 minutes. The spacecraft was fully automated and Gagarin had minimal control during the flight, although emergency manual controls were available.

“Poyekhali!” (Let’s go!), exclaimed Gagarin as the Vostok one soared to an altitude of about 327 kilometres (203 miles). The phrase went on to become iconic in space history. Another triumph was Gagarin’s safe return to Earth, marking a defining moment in Cold War-era competition between the Soviet Union and the United States. His flight preceded Alan Shepard’s US spaceflight by mere weeks, further accelerating the urgency of this competition.

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The global reaction to Gagarin’s mission was one of awe and admiration. He became an instant international hero, celebrated not only in the USSR but also around the world as a symbol of human possibility and scientific progress. Gagarin’s legacy continues to be honoured by celebrating April 12  as Yuri’s Night or International Day of Human Space Flight.

The first space shuttle took off

It was on this day that the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa) launched STS-one, the first space shuttle Columbia from Cape Canaveral, Florida in 1981. This was the first reusable crewed spacecraft ever sent into orbit and the first time humans flew a vehicle on its very first voyage into space.

Manned by a veteran of the Apollo program Commander John Young and first-time flyer astronaut Robert Crippen, Columbia undertook a 54-hour space flight of 36 orbits before successfully touching down at California’s Edwards Air Force Base on April 14, 1981. The mission was groundbreaking, not just for the technology it tested, but also for the risks it carried. The shuttle system included a massive external fuel tank and two solid rocket boosters — features never used on a crewed flight before.

The success of the Columbia mission was pivotal in demonstrating the viability of Nasa’s Space Transportation System (STS), thereby opening the pathway for numerous subsequent decades of shuttle missions dedicated to activities such as satellite deployment, space laboratory experimentation, and the construction of the International Space Station (ISS).

Tragedy struck the nation again on February 1, 2003, when Columbia, on its 28th mission, disintegrated during atmospheric re-entry , resulting in the loss of all seven astronauts.

American Civil War began

Four of the bloodiest years in American history began on this day in 1861 with the beginning of the American Civil War . The war officially began when Confederate forces opened fire on Fort Sumter, a federal stronghold in Charleston Harbour, South Carolina. The bombardment lasted for 34 hours.

The American Civil War was rooted in decades of escalating tensions between the Northern and Southern states, primarily concerning the institution of slavery, the doctrine of states’ rights and divergent economic interests. The election of Abraham Lincoln in 1860, viewed by the Southern states as a direct menace to their system of slavery precipitated the secession of seven Southern states from the Union prior to his assumption of office. These seceding states subsequently formed the Confederate States of America. Fort Sumter, though located in seceded territory, remained under Union control. When Lincoln attempted to resupply the fort, Confederate leaders saw it as an act of aggression.

On the morning of April 12, Confederate artillery under General PGT Beauregard began the bombardment. Major Robert Anderson, commanding the Union forces, surrendered the fort on April 13. Remarkably, no soldiers died during the battle itself, but the war it ignited would claim over 600,000 lives. The attack prompted President Lincoln to call for 75,000 volunteers to suppress the rebellion, which in turn led four more states to join the Confederacy.

This Day, That Year

• Harold Washington was elected as the first African American mayor of Chicago in 1983.

• In 1892, a patent for the first portable typewriter was issued in the United States.

• In 1606, the Union Flag was adopted as the national flag of Great Britain.