A sixtieth-anniversary tribute to Russia's history-making first space mission documents the story of cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin, the program's repurposing of a nuclear ballistic missile, and the Cold War challenges that shrouded the mission in secrecy.

"July 20, 1969. It's a day that has earned a spot in history. It's the day that America was the first nation to succeed in sending two astronauts--Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong--to the moon. But what led to this unforgettable event? What were the stakes riding on the Apollo 11's safe landing? In acclaimed author Douglas Brinkley's first young readers' edition, space fans will get the riveting and factual backstory of arguably the most significant...