Russian Embassy hails 50th anniversary of first human journey into outer space

The Embassy of the Russian Federation in Guyana is seeking to raise awareness of Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin, as the 50th anniversary of his becoming the first human to journey into outer space nears.

On April 12, 1961, Gagarin, the son of a peasant farmer, became the first human to journey into outer space in Vostok, a rocket 20 stories high and 8 feet in diameter. After 108 minutes, Gagarin, then 27, completed an orbit of the world and safely parachuted back to Earth. This was recorded as a defining moment of the 20th century and opened up the prospect of interplanetary travel for mankind.

The Embassy yesterday hosted a press conference that comprised of briefings on the life and career of the cosmonaut, who became a