Russian President Dmitri Medvedev will decorate on Tuesday, the astronauts that contributed to the space exploration including Romanian Dumitru Prunariu, Romanian news agency Agerpres reports quoting the Kremlin’s press service. The ceremony marks 50 years since the first man flew into space, on April 12, 1961 by Yuri Gagarin who remains a national hero and a symbol of Russian domination in space explorations.

The event is marked in Moscow and across Russia through exhibits, conferences and concerts. Dumitru Prunariu is the only Romanian to reach the space. He made the flight on May 14 to 22 1981 on board of the Soiuz 40 of the Space Lab Saliut 6. The Romanian astronaut made several scientific experiences in the field including studies on cosmic radiations, space technologies.