Named after the famous Russian cosmonaut Gagarin, the first men in space. The crew of this ship consisted of civilians. She belonged to the Gagarin-class, a class just consisting of only one ships. Her dimensions were 757’9” (waterline)773’3” (over all) x 101’7” x 30’0” with a measurement of 32.291 gross and 5.247 net by a displacement of 45.000 tons (another source 53.500 tons standard). The two main engines (geared steam turbines) delivered through the only shaft 19.000 ship which made a speed of 17,7 knots possible, losing 2 knots when the four aerials in vertical forward position. Her crew consisted of 160 sailors and 180 scientists and technicians. Range was 24.000 nautical miles. The Sofia or Akhtube (former Hanoi) class of steam tankers were used as a basic design. Her building started at Baltic Shipyard, Leningrad, Russia 1970, while completing a year later. The Kosmonaut Yoeri Gagarin was used for exploring the upper atmosphere and as space tracking ships for space vehicles. In 1975 she was joined in an American-Sovjet joint venture in the Apolle-Soyuz program. Her homeport was in the Ukraine so when there came an end to the Sovjet Republic she was transferred to the Ukraine. Since then she was no longer used in the space program and around 1991 sold to be broken up.
