It’s a quiet Saturday evening, so we thought this excellent photo of Soyuz TMA-21 being lifted earlier today would be a nice way to remind everyone that in just a few days, 12 April, we’ll reach the 50th anniversary of Yuri Gagarin’s epoch-marking flight. Read more on Gagarin’s flight plus details on European & worldwide ‘Yuri’s Night’ celebrations at ESA’s 50th anniversary site here (and in other news, Soyuz will soon be launching from the same Spaceport from where ATV lifts off).
The Soyuz TMA-21 spacecraft is lifted into position on the launch pad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Saturday, April 2, 2011. The Soyuz, which has been dubbed “Gagarin”, is launching one week shy of the 50th anniversary of the launch of Yuri Gagarin from the same launch pad in Baikonur on April 12, 1961 to become the first human to fly in space. The first stage of the Soyuz booster is emblazoned with the name “Gagarin” and the likeness of the first person to fly in space. Photo Credit (NASA/Carla Cioffi)
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This is an animation to celebrate 50th Anniversary of Yuri Gagarin’s first manned space flight, and also friendship between Russians and Americans due to space flight. Made with pictures from Space Shuttle missions STS-126 and STS-131. Full-HD 1080. Enjoy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JAacjyIrtw