Russia releases Gagarin's secret last words

Russia: One of the last things Yuri Gagarin did before making his pioneering voyage into space 50 years ago was make sure he had enough sausage to last him on the trip back home to Moscow.

This tidbit was among more than 700 pages of once-secret material linked to the life and times of the world's first spaceman that were released by Russia for the April 12 anniversary.

But making the biggest news among Russians this weekend were files revealing the conversation Gagarin had while strapped into his capsule with chief rocket designer Sergei Korolyov - a man who became a legend in his own right.

Gagarin is best remembered by a generation of Russian for pronouncing "Poyekhali!" as his Vostok spacecraft lifted off the ground. The phrase can be translated as either "Let's Go!" or "We're Off!" and is now a regular part of the Russian lexicon.

But the Russian Internet was abuzz with what Gagarin said moments before his famous catchphrase. One of Korolyov's biggest worries appeared to be that the would-be hero had enough to eat once he touched down on Earth. "There in the flap you have dinner, supper and breakfast," the father of the Soviet rocket programme told Gagarin by radio as the clock ticked down.

"Got it," Gagarin replied in comments originally posted on the lifenews.ru website.

"You've got sausage, candy and jam to go with the tea," Korolyov went on. "Sixty-three pieces - you'll get fat! When you get back today, eat everything right away." Gagarin joked back: "The main thing is that there is sausage - to go with the moonshine."

Korolyov appeared to take the joke in stride. "Damn. This thing is recording everything, the bastard," the scientist said in reference to the relay recorders.

The website also published a photograph of the original faded sheet on which the conversation is transcribed. Lifenews.ru added that Gagarin appeared to be singing and whistling to himself while mission control continued conducting various last-minute checks.

Moscow, AFP