A statue of Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin is pictured in central London, on July 14, 2011, following the unveiling of the statue by the cosmonaut's daughter Elena Gagarina and Britain's Prince Michael of Kent. Gargarin became the first man in space after orbiting the earth on April 12, 1961. AFP PHOTO/BEN STANSALL

Elena Gagarina, daughter of Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin, speaks during a ceremony to unveil a statue of her late father in central London, on July 14, 2011. Gargarin became the first man in space after orbiting the earth on April 12, 1961. AFP PHOTO/BEN STANSALL

A plaque and some flowers are pictured at the base of a statue of Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin in central London, on July 14, 2011, following the unveiling of the statue by the cosmonaut's daughter Elena Gagarina and Britain's Prince Michael of Kent. Gargarin became the first man in space after orbiting the earth on April 12, 1961. AFP PHOTO/BEN STANSALL

Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin of the Soviet Union is seen, date and location unknown. (AP Photo)

From right, Russian cosmonaut Pavel Vinogradov, American space tourist Anousheh Ansari and U.S. astronaut Geoffrey Williams, stand in front of a giant portrait of Soviet cosmonaut, the first man in space, Yuri Gagarin, during the official welcome ceremony at Russian Space Training Center in Star City outside Moscow, Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2006. Ansari, the Iranian-born American entrepreneur who rode a Russian rocket to the international space station last month, said Wednesday she now has a third country in her heart:

From left, American space tourist Anousheh Ansari, Russian cosmonaut Pavel Vinogradov and U.S. astronaut Geoffrey Williams, stand in front of a monument to Soviet cosmonaut, the first man in space, Yuri Gagarin, during the official welcome ceremony at Russian Space Training Center in Star City outside Moscow, Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2006. Ansari, the Iranian-born American entrepreneur who rode a Russian rocket to the international space station last month, said Wednesday she now has a third country in her heart:

PHOTO: EAST NEWS/AFP Le Sovi??tique Youri Gagarine, premier cosmonaute de l'histoire, pose avec sa femme Valentina et de sa fille Jelena, sur la plage de Glasma en juin 1960. Soviet cosmonaut Major Yuri Gagarin, first cosmonaut in history, poses on the beach of Glasma with his wife Valentina and daughter Jelena in June 1960. Gagarin Jurij A. (1934-1968), kosmonauta rosyjski, pulkownik lotnictwa. W 1957 ukonczyl szkole lotnicza w Orenburgu, w 1968 Akademie Techniczna Lotnictwa im. N.J. Zukowskiego w Moskwie. Od 1960 w zespole kosmonautow. 12 IV 1961 odbyl w Wostoku 1 lot po orbicie satelitarnej Ziemi, dokonujac jednokrotnego jej okrazenia w ciA?gu 1 godziny i 48 minut. Byl to pierwszy w dziejach ludzkosci lot czlowieka w przestrzen kosmiczna. 27 III 1968 zginal w katastrofie lotniczej w czasie lotu treningowego. Miedzynarodowa Federacja Lotnicza (FAI) ustanowila po smierci Gagarina zloty medal jego imienia (pierwszym jej zdobywca byl G. Bieriegowoj w 1969). Imie Gagarina nadano Wojskowej Akademii Lotniczej w Monino, a takze jednemu z kraterow Ksiezyca po stronie niewidocznej z Ziemi.

An undated portrait of Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin, who orbited the earth in a space ship. This picture was released April 12, 1961. (AP photo/TASS)

Portrait of late Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin, first man to travel in space, look down at exhibit of Soviet Union's satellites and space vehicles at Asia's first world exposition, Expo '70 in Suita, Osaka, Japan on March 13, 1970. The opening ceremony of the exposition on March 14. (AP Photo)

The Vostok type spaceship such as Yuri Gagarin and other cosmonauts orbited the Earth, is on public display in Moscow, April 29, 1968 for the first time. Cosmonauts ride in the Dome at left ahead of the instrument section. Last stage of launching rocket is cylinder at rear which detaches after firing. (AP Photo)

Soviet Russia's newest cosmonauts, Lt. Col. Alexei Leonov, left, and Col. Pavel Belyayev, stand on Lenin's Tomb in Red Square in Moscow, March 23, 1965, with Yuri Gagarin, center, the first man to orbit earth, and Soviet Premier Alexei Kosygin and First Secretary Leonid I. Brezhnev, right. They were given heroes' honors for their 26 hours in orbit including a 10-minute stroll in space by Leonov. (AP Photo)

Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev is flanked by four Soviet cosmonauts as they wave from Lenin's tomb in Moscow's Red Square during a celebration on Aug. 18, 1962. From left are, Gherman Titov, Yuri Gagarin, Khrushchev, Andrian Nikolayev and Pavel Popovich. They are in Moscow for a welcome to cosmonauts Nikolayev and Popovich who made a dual orbital space flight. (AP Photo)

Soviet Astronaut Yuri Gagarin, right, is greeted by Greek Premier Constantine Karamanlis, left, on arriving in Athens, Greece on Feb. 12, 1962, for a three-day visit. Gagarin was made an honorary citizen of Athens. (AP Photo)

Russian spaceman Yuri Gagarin, left, applauds Cuban Prime Minister Fidel Castro as he waves to the applauding, shouting crowd, July 27, 1961, at the celebration in Havana's Plaza de la Revolution. Gagarin is an honored gust at the four-day celebration. (AP Photo)

Russia's cosmonaut, Yuri Gagarin, is introduced to Rt. Rev. Msrg. Luis Centos, papal nuncio in Havana, at diplomatic reception, July 26, 1961. Woman in center is Mrs. Osvaldo Dorticos, wife of Cuba's President. Gagarin, the first man to orbit the earth is in Cuba for the celebration of Castro's movement. (AP Photo)

Russian spaceman Yuri Gagarin, right, sits next to Cuban Prime Minister Fidel Castro at a reception, July 26, 1961, at the Russian Embassy in Havana. Gagarin is in Havana for the celebration of the 8th anniversary of the Revolutionary Movement. (AP Photo)

Russian spaceman Yuri Gagarin, right, sits next to Cuban Prime Minister Fidel Castro at a reception, July 26, 1961, at the Russian Embassy in Havana. Gagarin is in Havana for the celebration of the 8th anniversary of the Revolutionary Movement. (AP Photo)

Russia's spaceman Yuri Gagarin, right, talks with Cuba's Prime Minister Fidel Castro, left, and Russia's ambassador to Cuba Serguei Kudriavtsev, July 26, 1961, at a reception at the Russian Embassy. Gagarin is in Havana for the party, which was in his honor. (AP Photo)

Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin waves from a car outside the Russian Embassy in London, Jul. 15, 1961. Soviet Ambassador Alexander Soldatov is seen at bottom, right. (AP Photo)

Maj. Yuri Gagarin, Russia's Cosmonaut stands in open car outside the Russian Embassy in London, July 15 1961and waves to the crowd as he departs for home. Gagarin has been visiting England as guest of the Soviet Trade fair. Russian Ambassador Alexander A. Soldatov is at lower right. (AP Photo)