Episode 43: Project Mercury, Part II

With as far ahead as the Soviet Space Program was, it wasn't surprising that the first person in space wasn't one of the Mercury Seven, but Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin. But what is surprising is that it was almost as big a shock for the Americans as when Sputnik was launched.

After JFK was elected president, Kennedy had a lot on his plate here on earth with the Cold War and really had no interest one way or the other in space. It was his vice president, Lyndon Johnson, who had hoped his plan for space would vault him into the presidency. It obviously did not but it did help him secure the number two job.

But things were not all rainbows and unicorns with the Soviet program. Sure they were beating the Americans to several key firsts, like first satellite in space; first craft onto the moon; and of course, the previously mentioned first person in space; but they were also racking up casualties. Of course, without freedom of the press, the communists were able to cover up their major failures, including the above video , when more than 100 Soviet officials and scientist were killed - including the rocket forces commander - when a rocket exploded on the launch pad.

Gagarin launched on April 12, 1961 and during his hour and a half in space, he orbited the earth once before safely returning to earth and becoming an immediate hero in the communist world. Regardless of one's side in the Cold War, everyone had to admit that orbiting the earth was an amazing technological achievement. Even the Mercury Seven (particularly Alan Shepard, who had been informed privately that he was going to be the first US astronaut in space- a public announcement wouldn't come until a few days before the first US manned mission) were impress. Green with envy, for sure, but also impressed.