12 April - World Aviation of aviation and Cosmonautics day

On April 12, the whole world celebrates Aviation and Cosmonautics Day. On April 12, 1961, Senior Lieutenant Yuri Gagarin, a citizen of the Soviet Union, made the first space flight in human history, orbiting the Earth for the first time on the stage of the “East” (Vostok) spacecraft.

The 108-minute flight was hailed as a huge breakthrough in space exploration. Yuri Gagarin's name became world-famous, and the first astronaut received the rank of major before his term, was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union and the Golden Star badge.

It is known that before the man boarded the spacecraft, his four-legged friends were sent on a flight. In August 1960, a Soviet spacecraft with two dogs, nicknamed "Belka" and "Strelka", flew into the sky.

Cosmonautics Day was established as a holiday in the former Soviet Union by the decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR on April 9, 1962, and in 1968 received international status at the conference of the International Aviation Federation. Since 2011, this date has been celebrated under another name, World Aviation and Cosmonautics Day.

On April 7, 2011, at the extraordinary plenary session of the UN General Assembly, a resolution on space exploration was adopted at the initiative of Russia on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the first step into space.

For information, since 2001, at the initiative of the American Space Advisory Board, "Yuri Night" will be held on April 12 in many countries around the world.

This date is dedicated to two events: the first manned flight into space - April 12, 1961, and the first manned flight of the USSR and the Space Shuttle program - April 12, 1981, USA.