Our country was competed with the USA in space exploration. Both countries launched rockets into space in order to explore the universe. They both were producing new space equipment, because they wanted to make the first flight into space. Every country wanted to do it earlier then the other. But still the first man in space was russian. The USSR launched the spaceship Vostok 1 into space on April 12,1961. It is memorable event for everybody, but especially for Gagarin. Gagarin's flight around the Earth took 1 hour 29 minutes. Gagarin belongs to the first generation of Soviet cosmonauts. He and the USSR goverment were satisfied with the results of the experiment.