Marking 65 years since humanity first ventured into space, the Prime Ministers Museum and Library hosted an event titled “Orbit of Inspiration: Celebrating 65 Years of Human Spaceflight with Denis Matveev.”
The event included an interactive session with Russian cosmonaut Denis Matveev, offering audiences a rare window into life beyond Earth.
Denis Matveev, a pilot-cosmonaut and recipient of Russia’s highest honorary title, spoke about his missions, training, and the challenges of working in space. His interaction with the audience focused on the realities of life aboard spacecraft, the physical and psychological demands of space travel, and the evolving nature of international cooperation in space missions.
The event was organised at the Sky Theatre of the Nehru Planetarium on the lawns of Teen Murti Bhawan on April 12. It commemorated Human Spaceflight Day, observed globally to honour the first human journey into space. The programme was jointly organised by the Nehru Planetarium under the Prime Ministers Museum and Library, in collaboration with the Russian Centre for Science and Culture in New Delhi and Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The annual occasion traces back to April 12, 1961, when Yuri Gagarin completed a historic orbit of the Earth, opening a new chapter in space exploration.