Why we celebrate International Day of Human Space Flight

By Bisola Adeyemo and Omotayo Edubi

International Day of Human Space Flight is observed to celebrate the beginning of the space era for mankind, reaffirming the important contribution of space science and technology in achieving sustainable development goals and increasing the well-being of states and peoples, as well as ensuring the realisation of their aspiration to maintain outer space for peaceful purposes.

The International Day of Human Space Flight is celebrated on April 12 every year because it is on the same date in 1961 that Yuri Alekseyevich Gagarin, a Russian astronaut, became the first human to journey into outer space.

The United Nations (UN) chose this date for the International Day of Human Space Flight as a remembrance of this meaningful event. The Soviet Union (Russia), the USA, and China are the only nations organizing human space flights.

The International Day of Human Space Flight is considered the start up of the space age and it celebrates the scientific and technical achievement in that industry. It is also a reminder of the ambition to use space for only peaceful reasons.

Reaffirming the important contribution of space science and technology in achieving sustainable development goals and increasing the well-being of States and peoples, as well as ensuring the realization of their hope to maintain outer space for peaceful purposes.