Images Dated 21st August 2007

Komarov before Soyuz 1 launch, 1967

Komarov before Soyuz 1 launch, speaking at the launch site in Kazakhstan, on 23 April 1967. Soviet cosmonaut Vladimir Komarov (1927-1967) was killed during this mission. He launched later the same day, but the spacecraft soon began to spin out of control during its orbits. Komarov's wife was brought to the control centre to say farewell. After 18 orbits, Komarov attempted to perform a re-entry and safe landing on 24 April 1967. The parachutes failed to deploy properly, and he was killed on impact, becoming the first person to die during a space flight. It was later reported that the Soviets had rushed the launch of Soyuz 1 before it was fully ready, timing it to coincide with political celebrations for Lenin's birthday

© RIA NOVOSTI/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY

Yuri Gagarin as a student, 1953

Yuri Gagarin as a student. Students at the Saratov Industrial Polytechnic, Saratov, USSR, in 1953. At centre is Yuri Gagarin (1934-1968), who later became famous as the first man in space. Gagarin was born in the village of Klushino near Gzhatsk, Russia, later moving to Saratov on the Volga River to enter the polytechnic there. In Saratov, he learnt to fly, and in 1955 after completing his technical training, he began military flight training in Orenburg. In 1960, he was selected for the Soviet space program. He was made a Hero of the Soviet Union when he became the first man in space, orbiting the Earth in the Vostok 1 spacecraft on 12 April 1961. He died in a plane crash in 1968

© RIA NOVOSTI/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY

Ju Jitsu Cops

A police officer of the New York Police Department teaches new recruits how to use the Japanese martial art of jujutsu in dealing with criminals, circa 1930. (Photo by FPG/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

© 2008 Getty Images

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