Later, a small 8 and a half centimeter aluminum figure dubbed a "Fallen Astronaut" and a plaque were also left on the moon commemorating not only Gagarin, but also 14 others who had died in space.
While Gagarin did not suffer the fate of those who perished in the line of duty, he still passed away furthering the mission of space exploration during a training exercise in a Mig-5 practice jet, along with flight instructor Vladimir Seryogin. There were many theories and conspiracies as to the causes of Yuri Gagarin's death, but it is a general consensus that his crash was caused by a sudden and unrecoverable spin or dive brought on by either another airborne object or by the condition of the plain.
Despite the early end to his accomplished life, Gagarin lives on through the meaningful tributes left for him and other astronauts in the ultimate match of king of the hill on the moon.
