The first man to travel into space was Yuri Gagarin, a Soviet cosmonaut. On April 12, 1961, Gagarin orbited the Earth aboard the Vostok 1 spacecraft, completing one full orbit in approximately 108 minutes. His historic flight marked a significant milestone in the Space Race between the United States and the Soviet Union. Gagarin's achievement made him an international hero and symbol of Soviet space exploration. The anniversary of his flight is celebrated annually as Yuri's Night, also known as the "World Space Party," in honor of human spaceflight.