"I see Earth! It's so beautiful!" On April 12, 1961, at age 27, Yuri Gagarin was the first man in space, and these were his first words. Yuri took a big risk. The rocket was far from ready and his friends urged him to wait. But the race was on and time was up. When he stepped into the space craft, Yuri knew that chances were pretty big that this could be his last step on Earth. Instead, he made history. Image Public Library.
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Yuri's Night: Gagarin's Space Engineer left Moscow today to attempt Everest w/out Sherpas at age 71
Posted: Apr 12, 2006 03:21 pm EST
Listen up all you senior citizens out there - or those who pushed the future over to your kids already at age 40 and began to plan for your retirement: Are you sure you're dead yet? Not even half way there, according to Boris Korshunov, 71: Today, a Russian team led by Nickolay Totmjanin left Moscow with target Himalaya. The goal is to set an age record without Sherpas on Everest. Boris Korshunov, Serguey Surmonin and Alexey Bolotov are the Everest cowboys - and not without relation to the seniors in Hollywood's Space cowboys.
7-time Snow Leopard
45 years ago today, on April 12th 1961, Yuri Gagarin became the first human to go into space (check the thrilling story in the links section). Ever since then, Yuri's Night is a worldwide celebration of human spaceflight that takes place each year on this day, and NSS (US National Space Society) is hosting 250 Yuri's Night events around the world. Parties are held everywhere - including at the South Pole Station.
Well, Boris Korshunov worked in the special research team preparing Gagarin's flight. In fact, Boris works in the Space industry to this day, that is, when the 7-times Snow Leopard is not out attempting to climb Everest without Sherpas.
"Today, in Space Day, he was awarded the special medal for his contribution in Soviet and Russian achievements in Space. But the most wonderful page of his life is yet to be written. Stay tuned!" promises RussianClimb.com.
Space engineer and mountain guide Boris Korshunov, 71, also climbed Annapurna Central in 2004. At age 68, he helped Denis Urubko, Simone Moro and Bruno Tassi to set a new route on Baruntse North Face. He never uses supplementary oxygen.
The National Space Society have events across the nation and around the world for Yuri's Night, the world celebration of space on the anniversary of Yuri Gagarin's historic first spaceflight and the 25th anniversary of the first space shuttle launch. Parties are held around the world - including at the South Pole Station:
"We are very pleased to announce that the 7th CONTINENT will be joining us for this years Yuri's Night for the 3rd time! Yuki Takashi who has been a part of Yuri's Night since the first LA party in 2001 (we have pictures to prove it) spent two months in Antarctica this (southern) summer. One of his teammates is still there wintering over through the long dark Antarctic Winter and will be hosting the Yuri's Night event. Please note that they operate in the New Zealand Time Zone..."
Check the website in the links section to find an event near your home, and for general information on Yuri's Night.
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