5 little-known facts about the first man in space

Lost a pencil in space

Gagarin made only one note in his logbook. After the flight, he told the panel that his pencil had flown away; the screw to which it was attached on the tablet had untwisted.

His first medal after the flight was for "the development of virgin lands"

Gagarin landed in Saratov Region, in an area that belonged to virgin lands. Following him, many cosmonauts received this medal, originally intended for state farms and collective farmers.

His admirers tore off the buttons of his uniform

The first cosmonaut became a real star. During meetings, admirers tried not only to embrace the hero but also to take away a memento, often buttons. After such encounters, the cosmonaut had new ones sewn onto his uniform, and he even carried a supply with him on trips.

He became an honorary chief of an African tribe

After the flight, Gagarin embarked on a world tour. In Liberia, he met with representatives of the Kpelle tribe, who elected him as their honorary chief.

He liked to joke

"The personality structure is marked by sociability, optimism, healthy humor," the Defense Ministry mentioned in the cosmonaut's characterization. Friends and colleagues also recalled that Gagarin liked to joke. For example, constructor Yevgeny Shilnikov, in his "The Story of Yuri Gagarin", mentions one of his favorite jokes: "A sparrow is flying, and a rocket is flying towards him at a tremendous speed. The sparrow shouts, 'Hey, why are you flying so fast?' The rocket replies, 'If they set fire to your ass, you'll fly just as fast!'".