Human beings in space

The Soviet Union put Laika in space four years before, and eventually put dogs in space and brought them back alive. In 1961 it launched Gagarin into space, successfully orbiting the Earth and returning safely, followed by Titov who orbited around the earth seventeen times over one full day.
 Yury Alekseyevich Gagarin and Gherman Stepanovich Titov Russia 1961 Human beings in space

The Soviet Union put Laika in space four years before, and eventually put dogs in space and brought them back alive. In 1961 it launched Gagarin into space, successfully orbiting the Earth and returning safely, followed by Titov who orbited around the earth seventeen times over one full day.