Today marks the 50th anniversary of the launch of the USSR’s Sputnik I. Sputnik, a Soviet satellite, was launched on 4 October 1957 and was the first man-made object to be sent into the Earth's orbit.
Sputnik II was launched on 3 November 1957, carrying the first ever space passenger.
This was a dog called Laika.
Laika, a female of around three years old, was a stray mongrel from Moscow. She might have been part husky, hence her name, which is associated with “all varieties of hunting dogs traditionally kept by the peoples of the northern Russia and adjacent areas”, “Nordic Hunting Dogs” and “Nordic Sledge Dogs”.
Laika was trained for her mission alongside two other dogs, Albina and Mushka. Measures taken to adapt them to life on board the small cabin of Sputnik II resulted in cessation of certain bodily functions and a deterioration of their condition. They were trained for longer periods in order to combat this.
When Sputnik II was launched, Laika’s heartbeat was observed to be three times faster than normal during acceleration. After reaching orbit, the temperature control system malfunctioned and sadly Laika died in space after only a few hours after succumbing to stress and heat in the pressurised cabin. Sputnik II was not designed to return to earth, so it was never intended that Laika would live anyway. Five months later, Sputnik II was destroyed on re-entry and along with it, Laika’s remains.
Controversy surrounded Laika’s death until 2002 when a Russian scientist who had been involved with Sputnik II revealed the truth about her fate.
Laika’s involvement was part of a pioneering experiment that provided invaluable data for the future sending of humans into space. However, her death prompted a renewed debate in the West over the use of animals in science.
Laika is one of the most famous dogs in the world and her memory has been honoured in a number of ways. She is named in the Monument to the Conquerors of Space, used in literature, in a number of products, on postage stamps and her name appears on a plaque commemorating fallen cosmonauts at the Institute for Aviation and Space.
Run Free Laika
New Member!
|
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 14
|
Almost a Veteran
|
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,114
|
|
Thread Tools |
|
Dog News Homepage
Latest and popular news, by week, month, year and all-time!
Dog News Forum
Shows dog related news by latest activity
Submit A News Story
Info on how to submit a news story