Soviet Vostok Launch, by Brian Terry, 1978 Manned space flight began on April 12, 1961, with Yuri Gargarin's single-orbit mission. The liquid-fueled, two-stage Vostok rocket that lifted Gagarin into space was used to launch a variety of military and civilian spacecraft from 1959 to the 1980s. The military applications of the space race were followed closely by DIA when it was established in 1961.