Although Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong have been rightly hailed by being the first men to walk on the moons, it was Laika, a stray mongrel, who propelled the space race into new territories.
On November 3, 1957, the little part-husky dog – who was also known as Curly – became the first animal to orbit Earth when she flew out of the atmosphere in the Soviet Union’s Sputnik 2 spacecraft.
The Russians said that the dog survived for six days in a capsule that provided food, water, oxygen and shelter.
Animal rights groups from all over the globe, including in the UK had protested fiercely against the sending a dog into space. The dog soon emerged. that Laika had in fact passed away from either overheating or asphyxiation within a matter of hours – before she had been due to be poisoned after fulfilling her purpose.
Despite her tragic death, Laika had managed to take Communist Russia’s fierce rivalry with the United States to a new level.
Less than three years after her flight, two other Russian dogs – Belka and Strelka – became the first animals to go into orbit and return alive.
In 2004, cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became man’s first journey into outer space.
The U.S. then achieved the most prestigious feat with the Apollo 11 mission. They put men on the Moon and returned them to Earth. This was rightly hailed by the American people as heroes.
While Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong are rightly hailed for being the first men on the moon, it wasn’t Laika the stray mongrel who launched the space race to new heights. On November 3, 1957, the little part-husky dog – who was also known as Curly – became the first animal to orbit Earth when she flew out of the atmosphere in the Soviet Union’s Sputnik 2 spacecraft
The Russians informed the world that the dog had survived for six consecutive days in a capsule that provided food, water, oxygen and shelter. Above: The launch of Sputnik
Laika’s path from infamy to international recognition was the result of years of research and development. In 1947, the first animals to be sent into space were fruit flies. They were launched from a U.S.-launched V-2 rocket.
Albert II, a macaque rhesus, became the first monkey to go into space. He was also launched in a V-2 Rocket in 1949.
The 1950s were even more successful in animal travels beyond Earth. In 1951, the Soviet Union sent two dogs – Tsygan and Dezik – into space, but not into orbit.
Before the 1957 dog mission, other monkeys were also sent to the U.S.
Laika, a three-year-old girl, began her journey when she was rescued from Moscow’s streets.
Because they are used to extreme cold and hunger, scientists chose to use strays from Moscow for their missions.
For the Sputnik 2 flight – which came a month after the empty Sputnik 1 was successfully sent into orbit – the Soviets also trained two other dogs: Albina and Mushka.
The Daily Mail reported that Curly was wearing a hermetically sealed space suit and was fitted with tiny telemetering devices that radio back a commentary on her behavior. Her breathing, blood pressure, heart-beats, and blood pressure are all flashed to Earth by Russia’s second satellite. It is six-times larger than the first. It orbits nearly 1,000 miles high.
Laika, three years old, began her journey when she was rescued from Moscow’s streets. Scientists chose to use strays of Moscow as they were used for surviving extreme colds and hunger.
Laika, the first sentient animal to space, rode in Sputnik II to orbit on the 3rd November 1957. Above: A mockup Sputnik 2 (Laika)
This 1959 photograph of another dog shows the type of suit Laika was wearing when she was sent into orbit.
Canine cosmonaut Malyshka, a Russian Space Dog, poses here in a snug-fitting space suit, with a transparent space helmet alongside it, in 1957
The Daily Mail’s coverage also depicted the Sputnik craft in the various stages of its flight in November 1957
The paper also provided an explanation to readers, which answered questions like “How does the dog eat?” The paper also included an explainer for readers to answer questions such as “How does the dog eat?” and “Can it return to the earth?”
Although the mission was not selected for the two remaining candidates, they all received the same training.
To get used to Sputnik 2’s cabin, they were forced to live in smaller cages. Additionally, they were placed in centrifuges in order to simulate rocket launch acceleration.
Laika was the chosen dog to go into space. Albina was her back-up, and Muskha was left on the ground to complete other useful tests.
One of the scientists on the mission was Dr Vladimir Yazdovsky. He later revealed in a book about space race that he had taken Laika home with him to play with his children prior to the launch.
He wrote, ‘Laika is quiet and charming. I wanted to do a nice thing for her because she had so little time to live.
Laika was outfitted with a special harness to carry her on her one-way trip. A bag was attached to her back to collect her waste.
She launched into orbit in Sputnik 2’s orbit on November 3rd, after it was launched from Baikonur, Kazakhstan.
Laika survived launch but the temperature control system that controls the craft’s temperature was unable to work properly after the craft failed to separate as expected.
The Daily Mail reported that Curly was wearing a hermetically sealed space suit and was fitted with small telemetering gadgets that radio back a commentary on her behavior.
“Her breathing, blood pressure, heart-beats, and blood pressure are displayed to Earth by Russia’s second satellite. It is six times more powerful than the first. It orbits approximately 1,000 miles high.
Despite the fact that she was being fed by an animal, she was still terrified. The body measuring devices showed that her heart rate and breathing rates were far higher than normal.
Although it is not known when she died, it is believed that heat exhaustion caused her death within the first hour of her flight.
The Soviet Union initially claimed a different story, claiming that she had survived several days and was only euthanized when her oxygen ran out.
Less than three years after Laika’s flight, two other Russian dogs – Belka and Strelka – became the first animals to go into orbit and return alive
The U.S. sent Ham the Chimp to space on January 31, 1961. He lived for 22 more years. Pictured: He is seen shortly after his flight with a handler.
Animal welfare organizations in the UK were furious at the news of Laika’s flight.
According to the BBC’s original news report the National Canine Defence League asked dog lovers to observe a minute of silence for each day she was in space. The RSPCA stated that they had received protest calls before the radio announcement.
One scientist who was involved in the mission later regretted it. Oleg Gazenko made the following statement in 1998. He said that “The more time passes, I’m more sorry about it.”
“We shouldn’t have done it… We didn’t learn enough from the mission to justify killing the dog.”
Despite her death, Laishka’s voyage sparked a series more animal journeys into space. Many of these ended with their survival.
Laika, despite her death, was later honored on Russian stamps, like the one shown above
Another Russian stamp depicts Laika in the Sputnik2 craft as it orbits Earth. Russia unveiled a memorial statue for Laika outside Russia’s Star City research facility in 2008.
After Belka and Strelka returned to Earth in August 1960 with their luggage, the U.S sent Ham (the Chimp) into space on January 31, 1961. He lived for another 22-years.
Yuri Gagarin made an orbit around the earth in the Vostok 1, a Vostok 1 capsule, just three months after Ham’s flight. This feat made him an international celebrity.
The world watched as Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins reached the moon in July 1969, while watching on black-and-white television. This was all thanks to the U.S.’s Apollo Space Programme.
Russia unveiled a memorial sculpture of Laika in 2008 outside Russia’s Star City research center, where she was trained. The monument depicted her standing on top of a rocket.
Also, stamps and envelopes featuring Laika’s image were produced.
Laika’s flight was less than four decades ago. In space, the Soviet Union sent Yuri Gagarin. He was the first human to orbit Earth.