Apr 132023 Yuri Gagarin — the first human in space On 12 April 1961, cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin launched on Vostok-1 (Vostok-K rocket & Vostok 3KA space capsule) to become the first person to orbit the Earth, the first human in space. His flight lasted for 1 hour and 48 minutes. Credit: Roscosmos