Helen Sharman, cosmonaut

British astronaut, Soyuz TM-12
First Briton in space

“Yuri Gagarin was given the international crown for inspiration. Wherever he went, crowds of people thronged the streets to catch a glimpse of the person who embodied the abilities of fellow humans, the bravery of exploration, and the desire to discover what is new.

"On my last night in space, reflecting on my time, I realised that being away from Earth reinforced what my Russian friends had told me on the ground – what’s important is personal relationships and what people can do together. Space is grand and being part of it makes people feel grand.”