March 09

Amerigo Vespucci was an Italian merchant and explorer born in Florence in 1451. He undertook several voyages along the coast of South America between 1497 and 1504. His letters and maps described the lands as a separate continent, not part of Asia. Publications of his accounts popularized the idea of the New World in Europe. In 1507, the cartographer Martin Waldseemüller named the new continent America in his honor. Vespucci's work helped shape European understanding of global geography. He died in Seville in 1512 after a career as a navigator for Spain and Portugal.

Yuri Gagarin was a Soviet Air Force pilot selected for the Soviet space program in 1960. On April 12, 1961, he made history aboard Vostok 1 by completing the first manned spaceflight. His successful orbit of Earth marked a milestone in the Space Race and captivated the world. Gagarin's achievement elevated him to international hero status and a symbol of Soviet scientific prowess. He later served as a spacecraft instructor and deputy training head for cosmonauts. Holding the rank of Colonel, he continued to advocate for space exploration until his untimely death in 1968. He tragically died in a training accident in the same year, but his legacy endures in the ongoing pursuit of space exploration.