[Scully]

I do not know, but there are rumors of at least several unsuccessful attempt by the Soviets...including at least one female astronaut, all who died during the efforts.

I know, rumors only. Nevertheless, I think Gagarin was mighty lucky.

[green team 1999]

a report a couple of years shows a picture with three (3) cosmonauts missing,the official picture was edited,one of the cosmonauts while on a pressurased chamber full of oxygen, cosmonaut did throw a cotton swab with alcohol(after using it on his skin,)to a heater near by,that started the fire in the chamber,by the time they got him out was burned beyond help,lasted few days in hospital,told the military to don`t blame nobody,it was his fault.
terrible story,and the rest of the world never knew about this hero until a couple of years ago.

[Pistias]

Now, now, as we all know, the first human astronauts were the Mayans taken up in spaceships...

I know because Leonard Nimoy told me so...

[Condorman]

Okay, so call Gagarin the first successful human astronaut, then.

I'm actually surprised there haven't been more catastrophic losses in the space programs. The US has lost 10 (from memory) and the Russians about that many.

Considering that all of those space troopers are essentially strapped to a giant bomb, that's pretty darn good!