This year will mark the 50 Year mark since the first human flew into space.

On 12 April 1961, Gagarin became the first man to travel into space, launching to orbit aboard the Vostok 3KA-3 (Vostok 1)

After the flight, Gagarin became a worldwide celebrity, touring widely with appearances in Italy, the United Kingdom, Germany, Canada and Japan to promote the Soviet achievement.

Yuri Gagarin in Manchester

Exactly three months to the day after his flight in Vostok I had ushered in a new age of space exploration, the trim figure of Yuri Gagarin strode down the gangway of a British Viscount airliner and walked briskly out across the runway of Manchester airport towards a sea of expectant faces, and flashing camera bulbs. Heavy banks of cloud had obscured the aircraft's final descent, and a ferocious downpour had lashed the tarmac, soaking the top hats and tails of the waiting dignitaries. However, what the rain could not dampen was the warmth of Gagarin's smile and the raw enthusiasm of the crowds who thronged the concourse: pushing at the safety barriers and seizing every vantage point in an attempt to catch a glimpse of their hero.

The sheer scale of public enthusiasm for the visit, which came at the height of the Cold War, had elsewhere caught the authorities by surprise. The Macmillan government, which had initially been reluctant to invite the cosmonaut to Britain, hastily added an extra day to his schedule and offered a grudging official sanction to what had originally been conceived as a trades union- sponsored tour, aimed at promoting economic co-operation between the East and West.

Although Whitehall chose to remain aloof, the situation in Manchester was very different. Gagarin's visit to the city had been organised in advance, under the auspices of the local trades councils, and had received the blessing of the civic leaders who were only too happy to organise a lavish reception for him at the Town Hall. As the rain cleared, the Red Flag fluttered beside the Union Jack over Albert Square and a brass band struck up the national anthem of the U.S.S.R. to welcome the arrival of the first cosmonaut.

For the full story about the visit to Manchester The Working Class Movement Library

I share the same birthday (date not year) with our Yuri. FSU ladies are mightily impressed by this if I manage to mention it in passing.*

* Sometimes one has to dig deep.

Same date I think that the Titanic went down too!

No, that was the 14th April although a thought has crossed my mind that it might be wise to change my birthday so I can get onto the subject of going down.

I tried to change mine to April 1, but nobody took it serious...

Derailing the thread boys with your comments?

Trying to bump ?

I wrote I shared the same birthday as the subject matter. Seems pretty on topic to me. I cant speak about space travel sorry. Wizzair usually run out of sandwiches on 3 hour flights so I'm certainly not going into orbit with them should they offer this service.