They had been the first people ever to leave the gravitational influence of the Earth and orbit another celestial body.
ðeɪ hɐdbɪn ðə fˈɜːst pˈiːpəl ˈɛvɚ tə lˈiːv ðə ɡɹˌævɪtˈeɪʃənəl ˈɪnfluːəns ʌvðɪ ˈɜːθ ænd ˈɔːɹbɪt ɐnˈʌðɚ səlˈɛstjəl bˈɑːdi.