Science & Nature · 1

What was the name of the Soviet spacecraft that carried Yuri Gagarin to space?

Answer

Vostok 1

Yuri Gagarin flew aboard Vostok 1, a Soviet spacecraft launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome on April 12, 1961, completing the first human spaceflight.

💡 Did you know?

The Vostok 3KA capsule was only 2 meters wide and was controlled entirely by automatic systems and ground control—astronauts were not trusted to pilot it.

Other options people guess

  • Soyuz 1
  • Luna 1
  • Sputnik

Topics

  • Vostok
  • Soviet
  • spacecraft

Know your science & nature trivia?

Play a free Science & Nature quiz and see how many you get right — no signup needed to start.

More Science & Nature facts

Science & Nature

On what date did Yuri Gagarin become the first human in space?

Gagarin parachuted to the ground separately from his capsule after ejecting at 7 km altitude, a landing technique that terrified NASA officials.

Science & Nature

What is the primary purpose of the International Space Station?

The ISS orbits Earth at approximately 408 km altitude and costs about $3 billion per year for NASA to operate.

Science & Nature

Pasta was developed independently in Italy and possibly influenced by other cultures. What percentage of cooked pasta (by composition) is carbohydrates?

Pasta has a lower glycemic index than bread, potatoes, and rice, making it a gentler option for blood sugar control.

Science & Nature

In Linus Pauling's flawed 1953 DNA model, where did he place the sugar-phosphate backbone?

Linus Pauling, a Nobel laureate, proposed an entirely wrong triple-helix DNA model with phosphates inside—partly because he lacked access to Franklin's crucial X-ray data.

Science & Nature

Which scientist created the first injectable polio vaccine in 1955 and refused to patent it, forgoing what could have been billions in royalties?

The polio vaccine's creator Jonas Salk refused to patent it, potentially forgoing billions in royalties to maximize global access and production.

Science & Nature

Which scientist's unpublished X-ray diffraction images, shared by Maurice Wilkins, proved crucial to Watson and Crick's DNA model but sparked decades of controversy over credit?

Maurice Wilkins, who shared the Nobel Prize, initially resented Watson and Crick's credit, and his role in providing Franklin's data remained contentious for decades afterward.