Who is recognized as the first man in space?

Yuri Gagarin is recognized as the first man in space because he made history on April 12, 1961, when he orbited the Earth aboard the Vostok 1 spacecraft. This mission lasted approximately 108 minutes, during which Gagarin completed one full orbit around the planet, achieving a remarkable milestone in human space exploration. His successful flight not only demonstrated the feasibility of human space travel but also made him an international hero and symbol of Soviet space achievements during the Cold War era.

Alan Shepard was the first American in space, but his suborbital flight occurred shortly after Gagarin's orbital mission. Valentina Tereshkova was the first woman to fly in space, making her historic flight in 1963, and John Glenn was the first American to orbit the Earth, completing his mission in 1962. While all of these figures contributed significantly to space exploration, Gagarin holds the distinction of being the first human to travel into space.