12th April 1961 & 1981
 

Today is the 50th anniversary of Yuri Gargarin flight into space (the first man to do so), and the 30th anniversary of the Space Shuttle Columbia launch.

The sad thing is that neither are here to celebrate.

Yuri Gargarin was killed on the 27th March 1968, in a training crash at the young age of 34.

Columbia was destroyed on the 1st February 2003, during re-entry.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuri_Gagarin

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Shuttle_Columbia

---------- Post added at 07:24 ---------- Previous post was at 07:24 ----------

I have grown up with these events and wonder where man goes next.

Re: 12th April 1961 & 1981
 

The next obvious step in our evolution is social networking, from manned space exploration to facebook in 50 short years.

I read an interesting book stating Yuri wasn't the first man in space, he wasn't even the first man to survive a space flight, he was the first that survived without serious injury.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost_Co...28late_1957.29