International Day of Human Space Flight 2024: Date, Theme & History

Utkarsh Classes Last Updated 12-04-2024

International Day of Human Space Flight 2024: Date, Theme & History

Important Day 4 min read

‘International Day for Human Space Flight’ (IDHSF) is celebrated across the world every year on 12 April. The occasion commemorates the first space flight and Soviet cosmonaut, Yuri Gagarin, the first human being in space. Yuri Gagarin was a citizen of the then Soviet Union, now Russia.

Theme of IDHSF 2024:

Every year ‘International Human Space Flight Day’ is organized with a certain theme. This year 2024 its theme is “Encouraging Scientific Curiosity”. This theme will help us to promote the peaceful exploration and maintenance of outer space.

History of International Day of Human Spaceflight:

The world's first human being, Yuri Gagarin, travellled around space on April 12, 1961. This historical event paved the way for space exploration. To commemorate this, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) declared 12 April as ‘IDHSF’ in 2011.
The purpose of this declaration was to promote the peaceful exploration and use of outer space for the benefit of mankind.
This event marked a significant step forward in opening the doors to space exploration, with far-reaching benefits for the entire human race.
After Gagarin's flight, the United Nations General Assembly realized that all mankind have a common interest in promoting and expanding the study and use of outer space.

Sputnik, the first man-made satellite:

The first man-made satellite – Sputnik I – was launched into outer space on October 4, 1957, a few years before humans went into space. This event opened the way for space exploration and possibly sowed the seeds for human travel as well.
On April 12, 1961, Yuri Gagarin achieved the historic milestone of becoming the first human to orbit the Earth. This was a remarkable achievement that occurred just a few years after humans began studying space using modern technology.

Valentina Tereshkova, the first woman to orbit the Earth:

Just two years after Yuri Gagarin's journey into space, the Soviet Union sent Valentina Tereshkova into space in 1963. Valentina Tereshkova thus became the first woman to orbit the Earth.
A few years later, in 1969, an American named Neil Armstrong became the first person to walk on the Moon.
In July 1975, the United States and the Soviet Union launched the first international manned missions into space.
Thus in a period of just 15 years, mankind had made more progress in space exploration than ever before.