A Single Orbit of the Earth

Vostok 1 reached an orbit between 169 and 327 kilometers above the Earth and set out on a single circuit of the planet at a speed of over 27,000 km/h. Gagarin thus became the first human in history to experience weightlessness and to see the Earth from space.

The spacecraft's cabin was controlled entirely automatically — the designers feared that weightlessness or psychological stress might prevent the cosmonaut from making rational decisions. Manual control was locked behind a code kept in a sealed envelope, for use only in an emergency.

During the flight, Gagarin communicated with mission control under the call sign "Kedr" ("Cedar"), continuously reporting on the spacecraft's condition and his own sensations.