Who is recognized as the first man in space and to orbit the Earth?

Yuri Gagarin is recognized as the first man in space and the first to orbit the Earth because he accomplished this historic feat on April 12, 1961, aboard the Vostok 1 spacecraft. His flight lasted approximately 108 minutes and completed one orbit around the planet, making a significant milestone in human space exploration. Gagarin's successful mission was not only a triumph for the Soviet space program but also a pivotal moment during the space race between the United States and the Soviet Union.

In contrast, the other individuals listed, while significant in their own right within the context of technology and exploration, did not achieve the distinction of being the first human to travel into space or orbit the Earth. Robert Goddard is known as a pioneer in rocketry, but he did not travel to space himself. Hero was an ancient Greek engineer who contributed to early mechanics and steam power but lived centuries before the space age. William Congreve was a British artillery officer and inventor but had no direct involvement in manned space travel.