In 1961, the Soviet media reported that Yuri Gagarin had become the first man in space. However, with the breakup of the Soviet Union and the release of previously classified documents, an astonishing truth has been unearthed. The first man in space was not Gagarin, but Vladimir Ilyushin, one of Russia's most celebrated test pilots. This breakthrough documentary reveals for the first time ever how Ilyushin's mission ended in severe injury and how Soviet authorities, robbed of the image of a conquering hero, decided to conceal the facts from the world.
Explore the hidden history of space exploration. Discover how some of the most dangerous events were concealed from the public and how several of the greatest heroes of early space exploration went totally unrecognized. Learn that the real first man in space was not Yuri Gagarin. This distinction belongs to Vladimir Ilyushin, one of Russia's most celebrated test pilots.