Tribute to Yuri Gagarin:

Fiftieth anniversary of first human flight to space

Keerthi Sri Weerasinghe

This year is marked by an outstanding date in the history of mankind - the 50th anniversary of the first human space mission, accomplished by the Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin. On April 12, 1961 in the spaceship Vostok 1 he orbited earth for 108 minutes

Yuri Gagarin was born in 1934 in a small village 100 miles west of Moscow. His father was a carpenter, bricklayer and farmer, and his mother was a milkmaid. Yuri completed six grades of secondary school and then joined a four-year technical school, where he got a chance to join a flying club. So began the realization of his dream to become a pilot. In 1957 Yuri Gagarin graduated with honours from the Air Force Academy and became a military fighter pilot.

In 1959, he was selected for cosmonaut training as a member of the first group of USSR cosmonauts.

Though by 1961 several dogs successfully accomplished space missions and safely returned to earth, for a man outer space was absolutely unknown and frightening. But in the Soviet Union there were so many people - young men and women - who were dreaming to become cosmonauts not for personal glory or for money, but for the glory of the country, to contribute to the scientific progress and better understanding of our universe.

It was just 15 years after the devastating Second World War, in which about 30 mln. citizens of the USSR were killed and the whole country was half destroyed. But it managed to stand up from the ashes and to become the pioneer nation in outer space. The USSR was the first to send a satellite into space in 1957. It was the famous Sputnik.

The Soviet rocket and space program of the country was based on some unique theoretical researches, made in the beginning of the 20th century by Russian scientist Konstantin Tsiolkovskii, known as the father of theoretical astronautics. The Soviet space program from the very beginning was very diversified. It started with the first satellite Sputnik 1, first animal in space - dog Laika on Sputnik 2, first human in open space - Alexey Leonov (he was good friend of Sir Arthur Clark and visited him in Sri Lanka), first moon impact and unmanned landing, first moon automatic rover, first space orbital station and first interplanetary probe.

Presently the Russian Federal Space Program for 2006-2015, approved by the government of the Russian Federation, is being implemented. This program foresees the development of mobile satellite communication system, space facilities for fundamental researches of the universe which are comprised by two astrophysical observatories, a spacecraft for sun and solar-earth link studies, a spacecraft for Mars research and delivery of Martian soil to the earth and, of cause, further development of the orbit space station, which is becoming more and more international with more and more countries joining scientific researches being held there. Russian space programmes become now more oriented for development of economy and enhancement of the people’s life quality.

Every year Russia celebrates April 12 as the Cosmonautics Day. But this year the Russian Space Agency prepared a special programme to commemorate such an outstanding date of history. It has invited heads of 49 space agencies, Russian cosmonauts and foreign astronauts, who took part in space expeditions on Soviet and Russian spacecraft to attend the 50th anniversary celebration in Moscow.

Russia and other former Soviet Republics - now independent states plan special tributes. In Armenia capital Yerevan, for example, they plan to unveil a statue of Gagarin, and it will be also a great day at Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, where Vostok-1 lifted Gagarin into outer space in 1961. The Gagarin museum was renovated in his native town, which had earlier been renamed after him. Special TV and radio programs, photo exhibitions and festivals are being prepared.

Following Gagarin’s return to earth, he embarked on a world tour as an ambassador of good will. And everywhere he travelled, Yuri was decorated with the highest honours and welcomed by enormous crowds of people. In December, 1961 with his wife Valentina he visited Ceylon where they were warmly received by all the people - from representatives of political elite to workers and peasants. Yuri and his wife were welcomed by then Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike, visited Air Force base in Ratmalana and ancient capital Kandy, where they planted a tree in Peradaniya Botanical Gardens. Gagarin was accorded a warm welcome by the Mayor of Galle. Many people in Sri Lanka remember those days and even participated in some festivities. So this year this is a double jubilee: 50 years of Yuri Gagarins journey to outer space and 50 years of his visit to Sri Lanka.

We have already sent those photos to Moscow and received a response because they were not published anywhere and known to nobody in Russia including Yuri Gagarin’s daughters.

Now we plan to arrange in Colombo, maybe in Kandy and, if there is will, in other cities, big photo exhibitions where everybody could see not only photos of Yuri Gagarin in Sri Lanka, but at other destinations we received from Moscow. In the Russian Cultural Centre we shall demonstrate documentary and feature films about Gagarin. This Centre also announced a competition among Sri Lankan children for the best drawing or painting about outer space. The winners will receive prices.