The first manned spaceflight took place in 1961. On April 12 of that year, Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human to journey into outer space aboard the Vostok 1 spacecraft. This historic flight lasted about 108 minutes, during which Gagarin orbited the Earth once before safely returning. Gagarin's achievement marked a significant milestone in the Space Race between the United States and the Soviet Union, as it demonstrated human capability to survive and navigate space travel. The flight not only advanced your understanding of space but also inspired future explorations in manned space missions.