Vostok program

The Vostok program was the Soviet Union's first series of human spaceflight missions, conducted from 1960 to 1963. Its most notable achievement was Vostok 1, which made Yuri Gagarin the first human to orbit Earth on April 12, 1961. The program aimed to explore human capabilities in space, gather scientific data, and demonstrate Soviet space technology. Each Vostok mission involved a single cosmonaut in a spherical capsule, which was launched into orbit. The Vostok program marked a significant milestone in the Space Race, showcasing the Soviet Union's advancements in space exploration during the Cold War.