On July 24 Vietnam celebrates the exploits of Pham Tuan- one of the nation’s greatest national heroes, who 35 years ago became the first Vietnamese to orbit the earth.

He made his eight-day mission aboard the Intercosmos 37 rocket alongside the Soviet Union Viktor Vasilyevich Gorbatko in what has been hailed as the ‘nation's historic foray into space’.

On the occasion we’ve gathered here some pictures of the momentous event.

Astronaut Pham Tuan         Pham Tuan and Viktor Vasilyevich Gorbatko in training before the flight         General Vo Nguyen Giap meeting with the astronauts           The first flight 35 years ago         Their return July 31, 1980         The two astronauts August 4, 1980 at Baikonur Cosmodrome