| Yuri Gagarin trivia should be interesting to anyone | | | | certain planes. He began flying in the Soviet |
| who has an interest in the space race, | | | | Airforce as a pilot of a MiG 15. His entry into the |
| astronomy, or the various space programs of the | | | | cosmonaut program was due to his being able to |
| world, as he stands in the category of the most | | | | fit in the tiny Vostok cockpit, and due to his |
| important explorers and pioneers of outer space. | | | | incredible physical and mental toughness. |
| Full name Yuri Alekseyevich Gagarin, he was was | | | | Gagarin became a worldwide hero after his |
| a cosmonaut who lived from 1934-1968. Although | | | | venture into space. He would tour the world to |
| American's frequently think of Neil Armstrong as | | | | discuss the flight, and quickly rose in the ranks of |
| the greatest explorer of outer space, it needs to | | | | the Air Force as the greatest hero the people of |
| be remembered that he was only the first on the | | | | the time had. Gagarin was a Colonel by 1963, but |
| moon. A Yuri Gagarin quiz would reveal that | | | | was held back from active duty in space flight |
| Gagarin was the person who completed two, | | | | due to the politicians and commanders of the |
| perhaps even more significant firsts, he was the | | | | military's fears about losing the popular face of |
| first person to ever travel to outer space, and to | | | | their efforts. He was scheduled to be the backup |
| orbit the earth, two events which would pave the | | | | pilot for Cosmonaut Vladimir Komarov, but after |
| way not only for Armstrong, but also for all | | | | Komaraov's flight killed him, the authorities chose |
| future space exploration. | | | | to protect Gagarin and prevented him from flying |
| An interesting point of Yuri Gagarin trivia is that | | | | the mission. |
| he was incredibly short for a full grown Russian | | | | Gagarin was killed in 1968 in a routine flight in a |
| Man, measuring only 5'2" tall when full grown. This | | | | MiG-15, a plane he was certainly familiar with. |
| was something that actually turned into an | | | | There have been conflicting reports and theories |
| advantage for Gagarin. He learned to fly during | | | | that would be part of any Yuri Gagarin quiz which |
| high school but them proceeded to military flight | | | | attempt to explain the accident, ranging from |
| training, and his small size allowed him to fit with | | | | poor weather reports to other planes passing too |
| more comfort and more maneuverability into | | | | close to Gagarin's flight path. |
| some of the extremely cramped quarters in | | | | |