YURI GAGARIN(1934-1968) Russian cosmonaut, the first man in space who died tragically in a routine training flight. Scarce A.Ms.S. 1p. 4to., Orenburg Air Force Academy, Mar. 31, 1962 in Russian. A propaganda piece concerning the space race. The manuscript reads in part: "...With every year the Soviet people... will go deeper into space. I believe that together with my comrade cosmonauts, we will carry out multiple flights, higher and further away from dear earth... Every breakthrough is only the beginning...the further we go, the more we control nature. And more surprises come across our road. But these surprises cannot force us to turn away from the chosen road...Soviet cosmonauts will always storm space...it looks like we can say for sure that man will go out from earth's orbit to interplanetary orbits...". Ah the optimism of the 1960s! Usual folds, a few marginal tears, otherwise very good. $350-450