Cosmonautics Day (Russian: День Космона́втики, Den Kosmonavtiki) is an anniversary celebrated in Russia and some other former USSR countries on 12 April. In Moldova an "International Day of Aviation and Cosmonautics" is celebrated on the same day. In 2011, 12 April was declared as the International Day of Human Space Flight in dedication of the first manned space flight made on 12 April 1961 by the 27-year-old Russian Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin. Gagarin circled the Earth for 1 hour and 48 minutes aboard the Vostok 1 spacecraft. It should be noted that the United Nations General Assembly also declared in 2011 April 12 as the International Day of Human Space Flight, in honor of the 50th anniversary of this first Gagarin's flight.
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