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The article reports on the announcement of Russia that the world's first spaceship, Vostok, has been launched on April 12, 1961 in the Soviet Union. It mentions that Vostok has a man on board who is identified as Major Yuri Alekseevich Gagarin. It states that man's centuries-old dream of space travel had already come as a reality. According to Gagarin, the flight was successful and that all apparatus of the cosmic ship functioned properly.

The article discusses Russia's legacy of space travel. Each year, Russian space enthusiasts and historians hold the Tsiolkovsky conference in Kaluga, in honor of the forerunner of Russian space exploration. Drawing inspiration from Robert Goddard and Hermann Oberth, the Russians' interest in space began in the 1920s until the time of Stalin. It spawned the Society for the Study of Interplanetary Communications in 1924, invaded science fiction, literature, the arts and the Suprematist movement.

Reports that Aerospace Ambassadors, a nonprofit group in Huntsville, Alabama , is promoting training for civilians at a Russian space camp. Total costs for the trips; Comments from fourth-grade teacher Lois Libenson; Plans for another trip in August.

The article focuses on the joint international manned space mission of Russia and the U.S. It notes that both sides prepare for this pioneering venture which takes a break from the joint training exercises at Star City, Russia. However, the U.S. officials doubt due to the problems associated to the Soyuz spacecraft which they described as cramped and crudely engineered. They point out that the spacecraft is controlled almost entirely from the ground, giving cosmonauts limited means in dealing emergencies on their own. It anticipates that the major burden of the flight will fall on the ship from the U.S.

Why has China launched a man into space, and what will it do next? Amid an outpouring of national pride, and some mutterings about cost, China this week achieved its long-standing ambition of launching a man into space and returning him successfully to Earth. The country's government hopes that Yang Liwei, the astronaut aboard Shenzhou 5, will inspire a generation of Chinese in much the same way that Yuri Gagarin inspired Russians and Alan Shepard inspired Americans. Shenzhou 5 was launched without incident on October 15th. It took off from the Jiuquan satellite-launch pad in the Gobi desert, spent 21 hours in space, went round the Earth 14 times and left an unmanned module behind in orbit before landing in the grasslands of Inner Mongolia. China's desire to put people in space goes back to the 1960s, when the country was developing its intercontinental ballistic missiles and nuclear warheads, then regarded as necessary accoutrements of superpowerdom. Like the original manned space efforts of America and Russia, China's has a military component (though America's and Russia's military activities in space are now almost exclusively unmanned). China's possession of its own manned space programme will also increase pressure on the Americans to allow China to participate in the allegedly "International" Space Station.

The article reports on the surfacing of four Russians, a Frenchman and a German after 105 days isolation in a metal tube in Moscow, Russia in July 25. It notes that the isolation is in preparation for a trip to Mars. It adds that the resurfacing] marked the completion of the first stage of Mars500 which is a collaboration project between the European Space Agency and the Russian Institute for Biomedical Problems. Moreover, it details the structure of the isolation chamber.

Looks at how July 2005 marks two decadal anniversaries of human space flight breakthroughs. Review of the American Apollo spacecraft docking in space with a Soviet Soyuz spacecraft in 1975; Review of space shuttle Atlantis returned to earth after docking with the Russian Mir space station in 1995; Author's view that each achievement laid the foundation for today's most critical space challenges; View that many promises made for the great space partnership between Russian and American programs never materialized; Importance of international space program cooperation.

Arlington, Virginia-based company Space Adventures Inc. says it can find a place for the people to stay on the International Space Station (ISS). The company says it has secured a contract with the Russian Aviation & Space Agency to fly two explorers to the ISS aboard a new Soyuz TMA spacecraft. U.S.-based organization NASA, which frowned upon Russia's earlier sale of trips to the ISS to wealthy thrill seekers, is offering minimal assistance. Hence, tourists must bring their own supplies. Tickets for the weeklong mission will cost about $20 million each. Would-be space tourists will need to undergo several months of training, during which they will learn, among other things, how to operate Soyuz safety system.

Reports that Russian officials told Lance Base, member of music band NSYNC to leave the Star City cosmonaut training ground in Russia after the aspiring astronaut's sponsors refused to pay the 20 million dollar flight fee. Time spent by Base at the Russian training centre; Training that he was undergoing for his travel to space; Reaction of Bass to the decision taken by the Russian training center.

Looks at the approval of the 2006-15 space programme of the Russian Federal Space Agency (FSA) on July 14, 2005. Aim of the space programme; Reasons for the increase in funding demanded by Anatoly Perminov, chief of the FSA; Components of the space programme.

Focuses on the plan of Russia to develop an Earth-orbiting test platform by 2015 for hardware for manned exploration missions to the Moon and beyond. Basis for the concept of the test platform; Statement issued by Anatoly Perminov, head of the Russian Federal Space Agency on the plan.

Deals with the decision of the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration to extend the Russian crew transport agreement for the International Space Station until the end of 2006. Comment from Anatoly Perminov, chief of Russia's Federal Space Agency; Details of the crew return deal.

Focuses on the first dedicated space tourist flight to be launched by Russia in 2005. Way the tourists will book their seats; Information on the second flight; Amount to be charged by Russia for the tourist flight.