To Infinity and Beyond: International Day of Human Space Flight

Once a year, on the 12th of April, the world remembers the first human-staffed flight into space led by Yuri Gagarin in 1961. International Day of Human Space Flight is a reminder of the spirit of discovery and adventure that all of humanity shares deep down.

It’s a reminder of the human ingenuity that has taken us not only into the furthest corners of our own planet but as far as possible into the reaches of undiscovered space. 

We are voyagers who take the chances we are given to find out more and more about what’s out there. Historically, the human race has been prepared to take a gamble on all sorts of situations, space exploration being one of the biggest. It’s no wonder that there are a vast number of space-themed things out there. From casino games – including slots – to novelty T-Shirts, every space (pun intended) appears to be covered! Now, though, let’s learn about the history of the day in question.

The Beginning

When the UN passed the resolution making this day official in 2011, they stated that it should be “A day to celebrate each year at the international level the beginning of the space era for mankind, reaffirming the important contribution of space science and technology in achieving sustainable development objectives and increasing the well-being of States and peoples, as well as ensuring the realisation of their aspiration to maintain outer space for peaceful goals.”

Every year on this day, there are conferences, exhibitions, and events that commemorate humanity’s past achievements. They also highlight the way laid out for us to forge a peaceful path further into the unexplored space that surrounds us all.

Our Greatest Achievements

The First Man-Made Object on the Moon

The Luna 2 was the first robot to ever make it the whole way to the moon. Launched by the Soviets in 1959, the Luna was the spark that ignited the race to get a human on the moon. The Luna 2 laid the path for Luna 3, which was another first only a few months later when it took the very first photographs of the dark side of the moon.

The First Man in Space

The reason for the holiday to exist at all is to honour the first human being who made it into space- Yuri Gagarin. Once again, the Soviets took first place when a man from a humble background made history after joining the Soviet Air Force to take part in the Vostok program. Gagarin said of the space flight, “Orbiting Earth in the spaceship, I saw how beautiful our planet is. People, let us preserve and increase this beauty, not destroy it!”. This is a reminder that the path into space should remain a peaceful one, and all of us should look after our own planet before we look to the stars.

The First Human Moon Landing

In July 1969, the USA finally caught up with the Soviets when Apollo 11 landed safely on the surface of the moon. More names that have gone down in history, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, planted the US flag, left scientific equipment behind, and then returned to the famous vessel. This would be the first of several missions that grew in ambition and design.

The First Craft to Land On Mars

Following several flybys and a soft landing that was deemed only partially successful, the Viking 2 made a successful landing on the surface of the Red Planet in July 1975. Since that first success, Mars has been the subject of a number of intense scientific explorations and the site of a number of successful unmanned landings.

The Last Frontier

Honouring the humans who have made their way into the unknown perils of space (but let’s not forget Laika, who deserves a place in history for her sacrifice) is the best way to remind ourselves how far we have come and what we still have to explore and gain.