The first man to fly in space was Yuri Gagarin, a Soviet cosmonaut. His historic flight took place on April 12, 1961, aboard the Vostok 1 spacecraft. Gagarin's mission lasted approximately 108 minutes, during which he completed one orbit around the Earth. This monumental achievement not only marked a significant milestone in human space exploration but also positioned the Soviet Union as a leader in the space race. Gagarin became an international hero and an enduring symbol of space exploration, representing humanity's ambitions to venture beyond our planet.