The accident risk was rather high for the Soviet spaceship. The Vostok's orbit was situated very close to the upper layer of the Earth atmosphere. If the engines of the spacecraft had stopped operating, it would have landed on the planet because of the “friction” against the atmosphere. In this case, however, the spacecraft would be flying for about a week and there would be no guarantee that the cosmonaut would survive the emergent landing. The food and air stock on board the spacecraft was enough for ten days, though.
The probability of a psychological breakdown was high too. Gagarin was not allowed to turn the radio transmitter off: the cosmonaut was talking to the Mission Control throughout 108 minutes of his flight. When Gagarin returned to planet Earth, he became the national hero of the USSR and a globally recognized person.
It is worth mentioning that Russia is taking great efforts in projects connected with the International Space Station as well. American astronauts say that Russia saves the ISS when it launches Progress and Soyuz rockets. US astronaut Michael Fincke said that he never forgets to give Russia credit during his lectures for American students.
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