April 12, 1961 was the Day when the first man entered into space. This is the date of very
beginnings of the space flight. Today is the 50th anniversary of this event. Yuri Gagarin, a Russian cosmonaut, was the first human into space. The world was astonished and happy. This was the greatest achievement and first landmark for the journey of space mission.
Yuri Gagarin spent a 108 minutes in his Vostok 1 spacecraft. He completed first orbit of the earth. He became the hero of the Soviet Union.
After four months of Vostok mission, Russian sent another cosmonaut, Gherman Titov. He spent more than 25 hours into space and completed 17 orbits of the earth.
Just one month after Vostok mission, President of United States of America John F. Kennedy declared that the USA would send a man on the Moon by the end of the decade. And this was the beginning of space race.
In July 1969, USA set another landmark in history of mankind. Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin became the first men to set foot on the Moon.
NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration, an agency of United State Government has achieved and established remarkable space programs, aeronautics, and aerospace research.
Throughout the world, countries are participating and contributing for the space missions.
India also has made remarkable achievement in space research and quest for the moon. ISRO – Indian Space Research Organization controls and manages space mission for the country.
Rakesh Sharma of India, a former Indian Air Force test pilot, and a cosmonaut who flew into space aboard Russian Soyuz T-11 on 3 April 1984, as part of an Intercosmos Research Team who became the first Indian to travel in space.
Chandrayaan-1 is the India’s first unmanned mission to the Moon. Chandrayaan 1, spacecraft carried payloads to the moon for moon exploration. Other countries also participated in this moon mission by contributing in payloads. Chandrayaan -1 has made significant discovery of water on the moon.
In Chandrayaan-2, ISRO will send moon rover on moon surface.The rover would move on wheels on the lunar surface, pick up samples of soil or rocks.
Thus, April 12, 1961 was the day of the beginning of the journey to the outer space for mankind.
