Final answer:
Yuri Gagarin was the first man in space, orbiting the Earth on April 12, 1961.
Step-by-step explanation:
The first man in space was Yuri Gagarin, a Soviet astronaut. On April 12, 1961, Gagarin became the first human to orbit the Earth. He completed one orbit and his flight lasted for about 108 minutes. This event marked a significant milestone in the Space Race, a competition between the United States and the Soviet Union to achieve space exploration milestones.