Photos: Anniversary of Yuri Gagarin's first space flight

Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin shocked the world on April 12, 1961 when the Soviet Union announced that he had become the first human to enter space and return safely. Not only did this mean that Russia had won the race into space, but it also meant the communist country had a lead in rocket technology and nuclear weaponry over the United States.

Gagarin is on his way to Vostok 1, the capsule that would propel him into history.