The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was the first country to put a man in space. It happened on 12 April 1961 when Yuri Gagarin became the first man in space. Click here and also here to read more about him.
Click here for a short voice recording of his impressions. According to the Scientific American, Gagarin’s first spoken words were: “The Earth is blue, how wonderful.” Later: “The Earth was moving to the left, then upwards, then to the right, and downwards … I could see the horizon, the stars, the Sky,” Gagarin said. “I could see the very beautiful horizon, I could see the curvature of the Earth.”
On the 25 May 1961, the president of the United States of America, John F Kennedy, set a goal to land a man on the moon and return him safely back to Earth. Click here to listen to this sound clip.
Through science and mathematics, engineering, and lots of motivation and hard work by many men and women, the rocket carrying the first three Americans to the moon was launched on 16 July 1969. Click here for the sound clip.
On 20 July 1969, Neil Armstrong set foot on the moon, followed by Edwin (Buzz) Aldrin. Click here to listen to Armstrong's famous words.
What a remarkable achievement 55 years ago!