Interestingly, the Vostok capsule was designed to keep the cosmonaut inside during descent, but at about 7 kilometers (23,000 feet) altitude during reentry, Gagarin ejected from the spacecraft and parachuted to the ground separately. This was due to the rough landing the capsule was expected to make.
Landing and Aftermath
Gagarin landed safely near the town of Engels in the Saratov region. Initially, his landing outside the spacecraft raised some questions with the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI), as their rules required the pilot to land with the craft. The Soviets provided evidence of Gagarin’s safe parachute landing to validate the record.
Upon his return, Gagarin was hailed as a hero worldwide. He became a symbol of Soviet technological achievement and was celebrated extensively both in his home country and internationally.
Technological and Scientific Achievements
Gagarin’s flight demonstrated that humans could survive spaceflight and function in microgravity conditions. It laid the groundwork for longer missions, spacewalks, and eventually moon landings. The data gathered during the mission helped engineers improve spacecraft design and mission protocols. shutdown123