60 years ago today, on 10 April 1961, Yuri Gagarin, age 27, was selected from a group of 20 men to become the first person in space two days later. #Gagarin1961 https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/news/60at60/2015/8/1961-first-man-in-space-393004

Before Gagarin, the Soviets launched 2 dummy cosmonauts, nicknamed 'Ivan Ivanovich', into space, to test the Vostok-1 system. This was (according to the museum) the dummy used on the last test flight, on 26 March 1961, now on display in Baikonur. #Gagarin1961

If you have some time this weekend, please watch this brilliant documentary about the early days of Soviet spaceflight, called 'The Red Stuff', now free to watch on YouTube: #Gagarin1961

60 years ago today, Yuri Gagarin spent his last day and night before his flight in this house in Baikonur, about 2 miles from the launch pad. It has been left as it was that day ever since. Let me show you... #Gagarin1961

There is Yuri Gagarin's bed where he spent his last night before his flight. His uniform and shoes still hanging where he left them before changing into his flightsuit. #Gagarin1961

Chief engineer Korolev had a similar house next to Gagarin's, where they prepared the last details of the flight. These were among only a few highly secret buildings in hundreds of miles of empty steppe back then. #Gagarin1961

Today in 1961, Yuri Gagarin planted this tree on what would later become Cosmonaut Alley, on the banks of the Syr Darya River. This was the beginning of a cosmonaut tradition that continues until today. #Gagarin1961

On this day in 1961 Yuri Gagarin launched from pad 1 on Baikonur Cosmodrome, now locally known as 'Gagarin Start' (see sign in the bottom right of this photo that I took in 2016). It is still in use today! #Gagarin1961

This is the main gate to Baikonur launch pad no.1, under strict security just before a launch. You can see the rocket on the pad in the background. Holy ground for any spacegeek! #Gagarin1961

This is exactly how Gagarin's Vostok-1 rocket rolled the last meters onto the pad in 1961, over the exact same railway tracks used today. The design of the modern Soyuz rocket has also barely changed from that famous rocket. #Gagarin1961

Lifting the launcher upright on pad 1 in 1961 (left, Vostok-1, for Yuri Gagarin) vs 2016 (right, Soyuz MS-03, for @Thom_astro ). Russian engineering: don't change a system that works! #Gagarin1961

The launch pad mechanisms on pad 1 have changed very little since 1961. See Gagarin's Vostok-1 on the pad (left) versus Soyuz MS-03 in the exact same spot in 2016 (right). #Gagarin1961

The rocket literally 'hangs' over the flame pit, held in place by its weight in these four rotating balancing arms. Only when the thrust of the engines pushes the rocket up, the arms pivot away by counterweights and release the rocket. #Gagarin1961

The best real-time report of Yuri Gagarin's 108 minute spaceflight, from launch to landing, including all his words, is the @FirstOrbit film, made for the 50th anniversary in 2011:

#Gagarin1961 #CosmonauticsDay