The first manned spaceflight occurred on April 12, 1961, when Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin orbited the Earth aboard the Vostok 1 spacecraft. This historic mission marked a significant milestone in human space exploration, as Gagarin became the first human to travel into space and complete an orbit around the planet. The flight lasted approximately 108 minutes, during which Gagarin experienced weightlessness and witnessed the curvature of the Earth. This achievement not only showcased the advancements in technology but also ignited space race ambitions, leading to a series of subsequent missions by various nations in the quest to explore beyond our planet.