Statue of Soviet astronaut Titov unveiled in Ha Long bay

(CPV) - The Vietnam - Russia Friendship Association Central  Committee and Quang Ninh provincial People’s Committee on September 14th held a ceremony to inaugurate a statue of Soviet astronaut hero Gherman Titov on the Titov island, Ha Long bay.

(Photo: VNA)

From March 2013, the Secretariat of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee allowed the construction of the half-length statue of astronaut hero Titov on the island baring the same name in, Ha Long bay, Quang Ninh province.

The statue is made of gemstone, consisting of two blocks with a height of nearly 6 metres and a weight of 26 tonnes on an area of 106 square meters. The VND7 billion-project was approved by all necessary parties of Vietnam and Russia.

Gherman Titov, is known as the pilot of the Vostok II spacecraft, which was launched just four months after the first journey into outer space by the Soviet Union’s Yuri Gagarin in April 12th, 1961.

Titov’s flight to space was launched on August 6th, 1961. It lasted for 25.3 hours and he performed 17 orbits of the earth. Until now, he remains the youngest person to fly in space.

In January 1962, Titov visited Vietnam at the invitation of President Ho Chi Minh. Together they visited the island which President Ho Chi Minh had elected to present in Titov’s name as a mark of respect and friendship to both Titov and the Russian people.

The inauguration was held on the occasion of the 65th founding anniversary of the Vietnam-Soviet Friendship Association, now the Vietnam-Russia Friendship Association (1950 – 2015) as well as the 80th anniversary of the astronaut's birthday./.