Dogs in Space: Zoom Astronomy

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Zoom Astronomy
Dogs in Space

Laika in Sputnik 2 before her launch on November 3, 1957.

Before astronauts orbited the Earth in tiny space capsules, dogs like Laika, Lisichka, and Bars paved the way for future exploration and for putting people in space.

Laika, the First Dog in Earth Orbit

Laika was the first dog sent into orbit around the Earth (other dogs were launched earlier on sub-obital flights). She rode on Sputnik 2, a Russian mission that blasted off on November 3, 1957 (Sputnik 2 was a metal sphere that weighed about 250 pounds = 113 kg). Laika was originally thought to have survived in Earth orbit for four days, dying in space when the batteries to the cabin over-heated. In 2002, it was revealed that Laika died roughly 5 to 7 hours into the flight, from overheating and stress.

After orbiting the Earth 2,570 times, Sputnik 2 fell back to Earth on April 14, 1958, burning up during re-entry.

Laika was a female mutt who was part Siberian Husky. Laika means "barker" in Russian.

Other Space Dogs
Between 1957 and 1966, the USSR (now Russia) sent 13 dogs into space in preparation for future missions. The dogs included:

Laika (meaning "Barker") - died during a mission (Sputnik 2, November 1957)
Lisichka (meaning "Little Fox") and Bars (meaning "Panther" or "Lynx") - died during a test flight on July 28, 1960
Strelka (meaning "Little Arrow") , Belka (meaning "Squirrel"), 40 mice, 2 rats and a number of plants - safely recovered from Korabl'-Sputnik-2. Launched August 19, 1960, it orbited the Earth 18 times. This was the first successful recovery of living biological specimens after an orbital mission. Strelka later gave birth to a litter of 6 healthy puppies; one was given to President John F. Kennedy as a gift.

A stamp from Bulgaria featuring Strelka, Chernushka, Zvezdochka, and Belka.
Pchelka (meaning "Little Bee") and Mushka (meaning "Little Fly")- died when Korabl'-Sputnik-3 re-entered the Earth's atmosphere at the wrong angle and burned up, (launched December 1, 1960)
Damka (meaning "Little Lady") and Krasavka (meaning "Beauty") - Launched December 22, 1960, but the third stage of the SL-3 rocket failed, and the orbital launch was aborted; the two dogs survived an unplanned suborbital flight.
Chernushka (meaning "Blackie"), a dummy cosmonaut (known as "Ivan Ivanovich"), a few mice and a guinea pig - launched March 9, 1961.
Zvezdochka (meaning "Little Star") and a dummy cosmonaut in a space suit - launched on March 25, 1961 and orbited once in final preparation for the Vostok 1 mission. Zvezdochka was named by cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin.
Verterok or Veterok (meaning "Breeze") and Ugolyok or Ugolek (meaning "Little Piece of Coal") were launched on February 22, 1966, in the satellite Kosmos 110. This was a 22-day mission.