Who was the first cosmonaut to travel into space?

The first cosmonaut to travel into space was Yuri Gagarin, a Soviet Air Force pilot. On April 12, 1961, he orbited the Earth aboard the spacecraft Vostok 1, marking a monumental achievement in human space exploration. Gagarin’s flight lasted 108 minutes, completing one full orbit around the planet. His successful mission made him an international hero and a symbol of Soviet scientific achievement during the Space Race. His famous words, “Poyekhali!” meaning “Let’s go!”, became iconic. Gagarin’s journey opened the gateway for human space travel and inspired generations to dream beyond Earth.