1877: A Space Oddity

Historical Background Note for Volume 1, Chapter 13: Although Magnetron marks September 30, 1877 as the date of the first manned spaceflight, history records that the first manmade object in space was a V-2 rocket launched by Germany in October of 1942, some 65 years after Magnetron’s notable—but secret—achievement. History credits Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin as the first man in space in 1961.  He took his entire body with him.

Read more about early spaceflight at:

• National Geographic
• RussianSpaceWeb.com
• Sea and Sky