Putin touts space power as Gagarin hailed
AFP, MOSCOW
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday called for the nation to remain a great power in space, as it celebrated the 60th anniversary of the legendary flight that made Yuri Gagarin the first person in orbit.
Russia’s space industry has struggled and been hit by a series of mishaps, but the sending of the first human into space on April 12, 1961, remains a major source of national pride.
After visiting a memorial in southern Russia at the site where Gagarin landed after his 108-minute trip around the Earth, Putin told his government to do more to maintain Moscow’s standing in space.
Vladimir Putin told his government to do more to maintain Moscow s position in space (File)
Moscow:
President Vladimir Putin called on Monday for Russia to remain a great power in space, as the country celebrated the 60th anniversary of the legendary flight that made Yuri Gagarin the first person in orbit.
Russia s space industry has struggled in recent years and been hit by a series of mishaps, but the sending of the first human into space on April 12, 1961 remains a major source of national pride.
After visiting a memorial in southern Russia at the site where Gagarin landed after his 108-minute trip around the Earth, Putin told his government to do more to maintain Moscow s position in space.