Origins & Early Life

Gherman Stepanovich Titov (Russian: Герман Степанович Титов; 11 September 1935 – 20 September 2000) was a Soviet and Russian cosmonaut who, on 6 August 1961, became the second human to orbit the Earth, aboard Vostok 2, preceded by Yuri Gagarin on Vostok 1. He was the fourth person in space, counting suborbital voyages of US astronauts Alan Shepard and Gus Grissom. Born in Altai Krai in western Siberia, Titov was the first spacefarer born in Asia. At 25 years old at launch, he remains the youngest professional astronaut and the youngest person to fly in Earth orbit.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Titov's flight proved that humans could live and work in space. He was the first person to orbit the Earth multiple times (a total of 17 orbits) and to spend more than a day in space. He was also the first to sleep in orbit and to suffer from space sickness (becoming the first person to vomit in space). Titov captured the first photos of Earth from space taken by a human. He also was the first spacefarer to film the Earth, using a professional Konvas-Avtomat movie camera for ten minutes.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Titov continued to work for the Soviet space program. Under the Spiral program, he trained to become the first pilot of an orbital spaceplane...

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• 14th Dalai Lama — Contemporary (Born in 1935) (1935): Spiritual leader of Tibet and head of Tibetan Buddhism since 1940.
• Abraham Isaac Kook — Contemporary (Died in 1935) (1935): Pioneering Orthodox Rabbi and Father of Religious Zionism.
• Adnan Khashoggi — Contemporary (Born in 1935) (1935): Saudi businessman and arms dealer, known as 'The Great Gatsby of the Middle East'
• Abraham Pais — Contemporary (Died in 2000) (2000): Pioneering physicist and acclaimed science historian of modern physics.
• Alec Guinness — Contemporary (Died in 2000) (2000): Iconic English actor celebrated for stage mastery and cinematic versatility.
• Alfred Baphethuxolo Nzo — Contemporary (Died in 2000) (2000): Prominent South African politician and long-serving ANC leader.
• Bashar al-Assad — Shared historical date (09-11 · Born) (1965): Former President of Syria, known for his authoritarian rule and role in the Syrian Civil War.
• Beatrice Cenci — Shared historical date (09-11 · Died) (1599): Roman noblewoman whose life ended in a notorious murder trial and enduring legend.
• Annie Besant — Shared historical date (09-20 · Died) (1933): Activist, writer, and Theosophist championing social reform and self-rule.
• Chulalongkorn — Shared historical date (09-20 · Born) (1853): Modernizer of Siam, ensuring its independence through sweeping reforms.
• 1935 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1935
• September 11 (09-11) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on September 11
• 2000 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 2000
• September 20 (09-20) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on September 20