Question 1

True or false: Gagarin’s famous line “Poyekhali!” (“Let’s go!”) was said as the rocket launched.

Accepted Answer

True. He shouted it just before liftoff, and it became a iconic phrase in space exploration.

Question 2

True or false: Gagarin was only 27 years old when he made his historic spaceflight.

Accepted Answer

True. He was born March 9, 1934, and flew on April 12, 1961—just over 27 years old.

Question 3

True or false: Yuri Gagarin was the first human to ever travel into outer space.

Accepted Answer

True. On April 12, 1961, Gagarin orbited Earth aboard Vostok 1, making him the first person in space.

Question 4

True or false: Gagarin was a backup cosmonaut for the first space mission and replaced the prime candidate at the last minute.

Accepted Answer

False. Gagarin was the prime choice all along. His backup was Gherman Titov, who flew later on Vostok 2.

Question 5

True or false: Gagarin orbited Earth twice during his Vostok 1 mission.

Accepted Answer

False. He completed one full orbit, lasting 108 minutes, not two. The mission was intentionally short to limit risk.

Question 6

True or false: Gagarin was killed in a car crash just months after his spaceflight.

Accepted Answer

False. He died in a 1968 MiG-15 jet crash during a routine training flight, not a car accident.

Question 7

True or false: Gagarin’s spacecraft landed with him still inside, as planned.

Accepted Answer

False. He ejected at 7 km altitude and parachuted separately; the capsule landed empty. Soviet officials initially hid this, claiming he landed with it.

Question 8

True or false: Gagarin’s Vostok 1 capsule had a manual control option, but he never used it.

Accepted Answer

True. The capsule was largely automated, but Gagarin carried a sealed envelope with override codes, which he didn’t need to open.

Yuri Gagarin Trivia Questions