Sixty years ago, the world's first biological satellite was launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome - with the dog Laika on board.
Why did Soviet designers, when working on human rocket flights, rely on dogs? Then they considered different variants: mice, rats, monkeys. And even cats. But the Americans, for example, preferred to work only with monkeys. But the choice of USSR scientists fell on dogs. The founder of space medicine, the famous doctor Oleg Gazenko, even visited the circus to observe both trained dogs and monkeys. And I realized: monkeys are too emotionally unstable. Dogs are not so capricious and are easier to train.
This was very important. After all, flights with dogs were supposed to determine the influence of space on living organisms. None Living being Until then, it had not experienced either landing on Earth or weightlessness. The four-legged shaggy ones were supposed to show how safe space flights are for people.
Academician Oleg Gazenko personally told an RG correspondent about many unknown details related to the launch of the world's first biological satellite.
As you know, by 1957 we had created intercontinental missile R-7 is one of the most reliable systems that are capable of carrying loads beyond the Earth,” shared Oleg Georgievich. - The Cold War was going on, and the country’s leadership set a goal - to demonstrate to the whole world that it has such a powerful weapon. How? Even then it was planned to create a large space laboratory, which was later realized in the third satellite of the Earth. However, the solution to this most complex scientific and technical problem was directly tied to the solution of an ideological problem: a breakthrough into space was supposed to take place by the 40th anniversary of the Great October Revolution. And no later. However, everyone understood that too much racing could lead to failure. Therefore, they chose a compromise: in parallel, they began to make two more devices - a simplified space laboratory, but with an animal on board, and a very simple option - a small “ball” weighing up to 80 kilograms with a radio transmitter. The one that appears first will fly. "Sharik" appeared first. Why?
The flight of the animal raised a number of additional complex problems: creating a pressurized cabin, developing the gas composition of the atmosphere, and power supply. Much was done according to sketches, not even drawings.
Laika was found on the street. As, indeed, were most of the dogs who participated in the experiments. Why did scientists rely on mongrels? Everything is very understandable: they are extremely smart and unpretentious. Like no other purebred dog, they appreciate a kind attitude towards themselves. At the animal reception center they were cleaned, washed, and fed to their fill.
The preparation of the shaggy ones was very painstaking. It took months. But the hopes of the specialists were fully justified. At the end of October 1957, on a regular scheduled plane, Laika and her backup were brought first to Tashkent, and from there to the village of Tyuratam, not far from Baikonur. Chief designer Sergei Pavlovich Korolev was already there. We started assembling the satellite.
By the way, two more dogs competed for the first space flight - Albina and Mukha. Albina had already taken part in suborbital flights twice, but she was expecting offspring, and they decided to keep her as a backup. And Mukha, as they say, was “rejected” because of the curvature of her paws: they say, she would look ugly in the photo. Therefore, she played the role of a “technological dog”: the operation of equipment and various systems was tested on her.
In the cabin where Laika was, there was a porthole through which we “communicated” with her from time to time,” recalled Oleg Gazenko. - Sergei Pavlovich, despite the huge workload, also looked there. And his eyes invariably warmed. The start took place strictly at the appointed time. We watched with excitement as Laika adapted to the flight conditions.
Everything was going well. Laika was smart. And suddenly, four and a half hours later, already on the fourth orbit, the radio transmission systems failed. Apparently, the humidity in the cabin had increased. In addition, due to the imperfection of life support systems, the temperature suddenly began to rise, and by the fifth hour of the orbital flight it reached 41 degrees.
Of course, Laika was doomed from the very beginning, since the return mechanism did not yet exist,” said Academician Gazenko. - But this should have happened about a week into the flight. Unfortunately, she died much earlier. Not a word was said about this either in the official report on the results of the flight of the second artificial Earth satellite, or later. When we returned to Moscow, everyone there was jubilant. But for us, those who were directly involved in the preparation of Laika, the mood was far from festive. The feeling is that we have lost a very close being.
I wonder how Sergei Pavlovich felt about dogs? - the RG correspondent asked then.
“He, as you know, was quite a stern, unsentimental person,” answered Oleg Georgievich. - But, in my opinion, this detail is very indicative. When the dogs Belka and Strelka first returned from space in 1960, they were sent to Moscow on a special plane, which Korolev was also traveling with. The chief designer had his own salon there, where there was a sofa for relaxation. Sergei Pavlovich immediately ordered the dogs to be placed on the sofa, and he himself went to another salon. I was sitting in a chair. Such is the emphasized respect for space explorers. Even four-legged.
After the first, several more biological satellites were launched with a variety of animals - from mice to monkeys. Even turtles have been to space. Moreover, they became the first living creatures to fly around the Moon.
After Laika, the most famous “dog cosmonauts” were Belka and Strelka, who were launched into space on Sputnik 5 on August 19, 1960 and returned safely to Earth. Along with them, there were 40 mice and two rats on board the ship.
In the 70s of the 20th century, the USSR launched new program"Bion", which is still in operation today. Two projects are planned for the 2020s: Bion-M2 and Bion-M3.
The dog Laika, the first living creature to orbit the Earth, is our national hero. Her brave and tragic Sputnik 2 mission, where the dog became an unwitting pioneer of the Soviet space program more than 57 years ago, is stuck in our collective consciousness. Her story formed the basis of films and songs, and was immortalized in monuments and souvenirs. Here is the honest story of the first astronaut dogs in the world.
Laika is not the only astronaut dog to die during the Soviet space program; more than a dozen other dogs had lost their lives before her. However, during the space race, fueled by the Cold War, NASA in the United States sacrificed several monkeys, paving the way for people with their bones. However, several Soviet space dogs survived and returned to relatively normal lives. Belka and Strelka, who went into space after Laika, landed successfully and became real living legends in the USSR. Laika, Belka, Strelka and other popular astronaut dogs symbolized heroism Soviet Union: simple animals laid down their lives for scientific achievements countries. Everything from stamps and envelopes to children's toys, cigarette packs and candy jars was full of images of these furry icons.
Damon Murray, co-founder of FUEL Design and Publishing in London, decided to create a book about the achievements of Soviet cosmonaut dogs. He collected the images with the help of Olesya Turkina, a senior researcher at the Russian Museum, wrote the text and sent it to his business partner Stephen Sorrell for publishing. The result was a monumental work about Soviet cosmonauts. We will share excerpts and images with you in this article. Questions posed by Collectors Weekly were answered by Damon Murray himself.
How did Soviet ideology influence the USSR space program?
Ideologically, socialism could not fail in any form; for this reason, the Soviet space program was kept tightly under wraps. It was extremely important to keep technological progress secret: both the USSR and the USA tried to hide from each other any events that were being prepared in secret, to “surprise” each other. In fact, this became known as the “space race.”
Flights with dogs were supposed to determine the effect of space on living organisms. Until then, no living creature had experienced either taking off into space and landing on Earth, or weightlessness. All this was carefully checked and studied by scientists of the Soviet space program, they had to determine whether space flights were safe for humans.
Why did you choose dogs and not cats or monkeys?
Dogs have historically been experimental animals in the USSR. Ivan Petrovich Pavlov studied the system of reflexes using them and achieved brilliant results. Monkeys were considered more similar to humans in many respects. Dr. Oleg Gazenko, one of the chief scientists of the space program, even visited the circus to observe the famous Capellini monkeys; in fact, he convinced Gazenko that monkeys were very problematic creatures. They needed intensive training and numerous vaccinations, and were emotionally unstable. (And cats did not tolerate flying conditions, which was later confirmed in 1963). It was decided that dogs would be the first astronauts.
The mongrels were selected from the streets near the space program's research center, the Institute of Aviation Medicine in Moscow. Stray dogs were considered more resilient than purebred dogs because they could fend for themselves on the city streets. They were selected by weight and size: no more than 6 kilograms and no higher than 35 centimeters.
At the very beginning, the dogs were sent to an altitude of 100 kilometers above sea level, but not into orbit. What do we know about these suborbital missions?
Desik and Gypsy became the first dogs to fly on a rocket on July 22, 1951. The scientists were delighted when the dogs returned safe and sound, ran towards the landing capsule (although this was strictly prohibited), shouting “They are alive! Alive! They bark! Even the head of the space program, Sergei Korolev, known as the Chief Designer, allowed himself to grab one of the dogs in his arms and be moved. A week after this, Dezik died with another dog, Lisa, when the parachute of their capsule did not open.
The exact number of flights is still unknown, but it is believed that more than 30 suborbital rockets were launched between July 1951 and November 1960. At least 15 dogs involved in these launches have died. One lucky person, Bobik, managed to escape right before the mission. He was replaced by another mongrel named ZIB - these were the initials for "Replacement for the Disappeared Bobik".
What happened to the dogs after their missions?
After a successful mission, the dogs were typically used for propaganda purposes. For example, the dog Brave got its name after the fourth mission. She survived many flights and became the main character of the popular children's book, “Tyapa, Borka and the Rocket” by Marta Baranova and Evgeniy Veltistov. Some dogs were adopted by scientists who looked after them because there was a strong bond between humans and dogs. For example, after his last mission, the dog Zhulka (formerly Comet) went home to the leading scientist Oleg Gazenko. There she lived after that for twelve happy years. Other dogs like Belka and Strelka lived the rest of their lives at the Institute of Aviation Medicine. They weren't just dogs, they were the first living beings to go into space, celebrities, and often appeared on television and radio.
These dogs were heroes of the USSR. They were appreciated and respected for their work for the benefit of the country as well as humanity in general. Faith in progress and the ability to sacrifice for a common goal became the basis of personal and public heroism, forcing Soviet citizens to work miracles. For the sake of a great goal, it was possible to sacrifice not only oneself, but also other living beings who also possessed such human qualities as courage and selflessness.
What did scientists and engineers think about the dogs they worked with?
Differently. There are many different examples of how scientists treated their charges. One day, when the Chief Designer found the dogs' food bowls empty, he sent the guard to prison. Perhaps this is a legend. The same Chief Designer, Sergei Korolev, before the flight of the cosmonaut dog Lischika, whispered in her ear: “Most of all I want you to return safe.” The fox died. Due to the secrecy surrounding the program, it was unthinkable that the four-legged heroes would receive a lavish funeral. Therefore, scientists could not indulge in mourning. But there were exceptions. In 1955, after the death of his beloved dog Fox-2, Alexander Dmitrievich Seryapin, an employee of the Institute of Aviation Medicine, broke the rules and buried her remains in the steppe, even secretly taking a photo as a souvenir.
Commenting on Laika’s death in Sputnik 2, one of the leading scientists Oleg Gazenko stated that “working with animals is a source of suffering for all of us. We treat them like babies who cannot speak. The more time passes, the more I regret it. We shouldn't have done this. We didn't learn enough from this mission to justify the dog's death."
How did these dogs eat and relieve themselves on board?
The problem of feeding dogs in zero gravity conditions was solved by combining nutrients with agar-agar, a jelly-like substance. This “jelly” was easy to consume and minimized waste. It was more difficult for the dogs to find a convenient way to relieve themselves in such unusual conditions. Although their suits had special receptacles for urine and feces, it was quite difficult to train the dogs to use them. They preferred to relieve themselves on the street, but certainly not indoors, not in a cabin and, of course, not in a suit. This process was unnatural for dogs, and only those who adapted to it were selected. Only twigs were selected for orbital flights; they were more suitable for space, since they did not have to stick out their hind legs.
When and why did the USSR start going public with space dogs?
Booger, Linda and Baby became the first dogs whose names were declassified and presented to the public in June 1957. They visited the most upper layers atmosphere at an altitude of 110 kilometers above the Earth. The next step for the Soviet space program was the first orbital flight with a living creature: Laika.
The Soviet ideological machine used every opportunity to demonstrate that these dogs could give birth to healthy puppies after flight. This was proof that they were not harmed as a result of the adventure - this was extremely important in order to deliver man into space. One of Strelka’s puppies (named Pushkina) was even given as a gift to President John Kennedy by Nikita Sergeevich Khrushchev. Fearing that the Russians had found secret way planted a bug in the puppy, it was carefully studied and scanned before being handed over to the presidential family.
What kind of selection did Laika go through to become the first dog in orbit?
Laika was chosen because she demonstrated exceptional endurance and tolerance during training before the flight. These were remarkable characteristics for a martyr for humanity. She was also a striking dog, light-colored with dark brown spots on her face that gave her a surprised expression. Her image was well reproduced in black and white photographs and film stills. This was an important factor because the launch was historically significant and was carefully recorded.
Why was Laika sent into space without knowing how to save her?
The ideology of the space race led to the fact that there was no time left to develop a recovery system before sending Laika into space. After the sensational launch of Sputnik 1 on October 4, 1957, Khrushchev told scientists that another satellite should be launched in honor of the rapidly approaching fortieth anniversary of the October Revolution, on November 7, 1957. Sputnik 2 was prepared in a terrible hurry.
What was the world's reaction to Laika's flight and death?
Laika's flight evoked unprecedented love and compassion both in the USSR and in the rest of the world. People felt genuine sympathy for Laika. She was perceived as an innocent victim caught in the cruel millstone of the Cold War. Soviet children were retold the story of Laika as a heroic creature, which, in principle, she was: kind and smart dog who went into space. For adults, her fate resembled their own. It is no wonder that on the bas-relief “To the Conquerors of Space,” erected in Moscow in 1964, the image of Laika appeared next to the images of nameless engineers and scientists whose identities were not established.
What did the USSR apparatus say about the death of the dog and when did the truth become known?
After the initial excitement that followed the launch of Sputnik 2, the government needed to explain to the rest of the world why Laika would never return. For seven days she was officially “alive,” with newspapers periodically publishing reports on her health. This period was followed by a statement that the dog lived in orbit for a week and during that time served as a source of invaluable data on the possibility of life in space. She was then painlessly euthanized. There were several possible explanations for her death. First, euthanasia was administered remotely. Secondly, euthanasia was administered with food. Third, on the eighth day her oxygen ran out.
In reality, due to an error in calculating thermal conductivity, Laika suffocated just a few hours after launch. This fact was revealed only in 2002. In the 1950s, the international press accused the Soviet regime of being totalitarian and inhumane and proposed sending Khrushchev into orbit. In response, the Soviet press wrote about the hypocrisy of capitalist morality, the exploitation of entire peoples in the colonies, and racism. Despite all the arguments, Soviet ideology faced a serious dilemma. Since it was impossible to deny Laika's death, the only viable option left was to immortalize her.
By the time Belka and Strelka flew, what changes had been made?
Their capsule was equipped with a camera that transmitted images in real time from space to Earth. After landing Belka and Strelka went out documentary about preparations for the flight, including live broadcasting from space. The whole world watched as Strelka merrily spun in weightlessness, while Belka calmly watched.
The children's story "The Adventures of Belka and Strelka" accurately describes how dogs were trained to wear tight-fitting suits secured with wires. They bravely endured the cold and heat in the training capsule, got used to sitting for several days in a cramped module, where they could not walk, only sit or lie. Within the same module, they learned to eat jelly-like food supplied by an automatic dispenser. They spun on a carousel and learned to tolerate the noise of the rocket by listening to it on tape. They were seated on a vibrating table and forced to sleep in a brightly lit room. They even flew on an airplane. But the most serious test for the dogs was an ejection chair, from which they suddenly flew into space and landed by parachute.
Initially, this mission was supposed to be carried out by Chaika and Chanterelle. But they died tragically on July 28, 1960, when their rocket exploded on the launch pad. They were the best and most beloved dogs at the institute. Jr Researcher Lyudmila Radkevich later recalled how bright and wonderful they were, especially Lisichka. Later, it was believed that sending red dogs into space was a bad omen.
What was the flight of Belka and Strelka like?
The launch of the rocket with Belka and Strelka took place on August 19, 1960 at 15:44:06. Together with Belka and Strelka, a container with twelve mice, insects, plants, mushroom cultures, various microbes, sprouts of wheat, peas, onions and corn went on flight. In addition, there were twenty-eight laboratory mice and two white rats in the cabin.
It was only after the first orbital flyby was completed that the dogs began to bark. Vladimir Yazdovsky, leading biologist, researcher upper layers atmosphere and outer space, said that as long as dogs bark and not howl, they are confident that they will return to Earth. A huge success was the live television broadcast from the spacecraft, which allowed scientists to closely observe the dogs in flight. But during the launch, the dogs were so quiet that if it weren't for the sensors attached to their bodies, you might think they were too quiet.
As expected, due to the overload on takeoff, the heart rate and breathing rate increased, but quickly returned to normal. However, in the fourth orbit, Belka began to tear out wires, bark and vomit. This reaction played a key role in the subsequent decision to send the person only to a short time one orbital flight. Belka and Strelka remained in flight for more than 24 hours, allowing scientists to carefully study the long-term effects of weightlessness and radiation on living organisms. At orbit 18, August 20 at 13:22:00, the capsule was ordered to re-enter the atmosphere and the dogs landed safely.
What was the reaction to the return of Belka and Strelka?
After their triumphant landing, they appeared on radio and television, and their portraits were featured in newspapers and magazines. They were invited to festive meetings with selected Soviet citizens. Politicians, prominent workers, schoolchildren, celebrities - everyone considered it an honor to be photographed with famous dogs. Portraits of two dogs, dressed respectively in red and green spacesuits, appeared everywhere: on chocolates, matchboxes, postcards, badges, postage stamps and toys.
Why were the capsules equipped with a self-destruct mechanism?
The Importance of Advanced Technologies spaceship meant the inadmissibility of their falling into the hands of the USSR’s direct competitors in the space race: the USA. During the mission's orbital spaceflight on December 1, 1960, the re-entry module's trajectory deviated from its programmed course. When the system detected a risk of landing outside Soviet territory, the onboard self-destruct mechanism was activated. The dogs Mushka and Bee, who circled the Earth 17 times, were killed in exactly this way.
What do we know about the “cosmonaut” Ivan Ivanovich?
Ivan Ivanovich was a dummy. He flew as Yuri Gagarin's predecessor to gain a more accurate understanding of the pressures of space flight on humans. He was wearing the same orange suit that the first astronaut would later wear. His chest, abdomen and groin housed the entire spectrum of Darwinian evolution. In that " Noah's Ark", as it was later called, hid mice, guinea pigs and various microorganisms. The effects of space flight were tested on all these creatures.
Have there been dogs in space since Yuri Gagarin?
As technology has improved, it has become possible to increase the duration of manned missions, which means there is an opportunity to study how long periods of time in space might affect people. On February 22, 1966, a satellite went into orbit with two dogs on board: Veterok and Coal. The dogs did not cope well with the long flight. And in general, they were removed from orbit earlier than planned. After landing, Veterok and Ugolek suffered from dehydration and bedsores. True, they quickly recovered and subsequently gave birth to healthy puppies. Their flight lasted 22 days, which still remains the record for a dog in orbit. At that time, this was a record for a living being in space in general and lasted another five years, until it was broken by the Soviet cosmonauts with the ill-fated Soyuz-11 mission.
How were the dogs and their achievements immortalized?
The idea of creating monuments to space dogs arose when they first began to be sent into space. But since the USSR was future-oriented, the main symbol remained the ongoing space program, and this ambition remained unfulfilled. After man successfully walked into space, the nation's attention was completely focused on people, and not on astronaut dogs.
The first monument to Laika was actually erected in Paris in 1958. The granite column was erected in front of the Paris Society for the Protection of Dogs, in honor of the animals who gave their lives in the name of science. The inscription reads: “In honor of the first living creature to reach space.” On the column is the figure of Laika, peering into Sputnik 1. In Japan, the image of Laika became a symbol of the Year of the Dog in 1958, which led to the production of a large number of souvenir Laikas.
Only in 2008, on the 50th anniversary of Laika’s flight into space, the monument appeared in Moscow. It was placed in the courtyard of the Institute of Aviation Medicine after a petition from scientists who wanted to preserve the memory of the four-legged astronaut. In terms of art, this monument is hardly a masterpiece, although those who knew Laika say that the life-size sculpture bears a strong resemblance. A small dog stands on top of a rocket shaped like a giant open hand pointing toward the sky. The palm resembles a sacrificial altar, which, in principle, is not far from the truth.
How did space dogs influence the opinion of Soviet people about mongrels?
After the flight of Belka and Strelka, Soviet schools initiated lessons about being kind to dogs on the streets; the price of food for mixed breed dogs on the main market in Moscow doubled, since any mongrel, just not a very big one, could become an astronaut. Even after Laika's tragic flight, Soviet citizens wrote letters to the government, volunteering to be cosmonauts. Requests for permission to fly into orbit increased after the successful landing of Belka and Strelka. Only yesterday these mongrels were scurrying through the streets of Moscow, trying to find food and warmth, and today their heroic mission has been successfully completed. They became an ideal, and this ideal was quite human: to sacrifice oneself for the good of humanity, and if lucky, then to become a hero.
What do we know about the Bion program?
The Bion program, unlike the dog program, was not only about the ability to send animals into space, but also about maintaining living creatures in orbit for long periods of time. It began in the USSR in 1973 and in 1975 the Americans joined it. Project Bion played a special role in calming ideological confrontation during the Cold War, dissolving the line between “good and evil” in both US and Soviet propaganda.
Actually, “Bion” is a closed life support system (ecosystem), research on this system is still being carried out. The capsule contains a variety of animals: rats, turtles, insects, lower fungi, fish eggs; experiments are carried out on them. We will talk more about these programs another time, but the essence, in principle, is reminiscent of Soviet experiments with dogs. For one thing.
Monkeys were used for the Bion program. Why?
The monkeys were chosen for the Bion program because they physical properties resemble human ones. The monkeys' tails were cut so they could squeeze into the capsules. They also had electrodes implanted in their brains. In his memoirs, Oleg Gazenko, who prepared the monkeys for flight, wrote that it was impossible not to feel sorry for the monkeys who lay on operating tables with wires protruding from their shaved heads.
The monkeys were not doing well. The last crew spent 15 days in space, from December 24, 1996 to January 7, 1997. The flight of Multik and Lapik was organized by the Americans. By that time, the Soviet Union had ceased to exist, and with it, funding for the space program had ceased. After landing, Cartoon died in the operating room after an adverse reaction to the anesthetic. The death of Cartoon marked the end of the monkey space program. The US refused further participation, although another satellite with two monkeys was already planned to be launched. The experiments were suspended due to public pressure and lack of resources. In 2010, the monkey Krosh, a space veteran, died at the age of 25. He and his companion Iwasha were in space for 12 days in late 1992. He spent his last days with his offspring at the Adler Institute of Primatology and died an honorary veteran - the last monkey-cosmonaut in Russia.
However, in 2008, Roscosmos announced that the monkey from Sukhumi could become the first creature sent to Mars. This provocative statement sparked protests from the European Space Agency and animal welfare groups. Similar protests arose when monkeys were proposed to be subjected to long-term radiation as part of the Mars 500 program. But at present, the Russian Federation does not support the idea of sending higher mammals into space, especially dogs and monkeys.
Perhaps Laika still wants to return home.
Based on CollectorsWeekly
A significant event occurred. In November, a dog was sent into space. This is the first mammal on the planet to be in space orbit. However, this event is rather sad than joyful. Laika was sent into space. The astronaut dog gave the man a lot of information about the flight, but she died.
Preparing for the flight
Literally twelve days before the rocket launch, a candidate for cosmonaut was found. At the last moment, scientists chose the dog rather than other mammals. Perhaps because this is the animal that people love the most. And the astronaut dog will become the people's favorite, scientists decided.
The candidate was adopted from a pet shelter. They decided not to take a purebred dog, since they are less adapted to difficult conditions. The animal's coat was light-colored so that it would look better in photographs. The first astronaut dog is Laika, who was adopted from an ordinary shelter.
Astronaut training
Preparations began almost immediately after the launch, which instantly became famous. The idea of an animal flying is an attempt to consolidate the success of the Soviet Union in general and in the space industry in particular. The country did not have any well-thought-out drawings or developments in this area. We designed the device on the fly, immediately bringing ideas to life. Laika (the astronaut dog) also underwent special training.
It was clear to everyone that this flight would only be one way. The only unknown was the time that the dog could survive before his death in
Flight
During takeoff, the dog was subjected to colossal overloads. She was pressed inside the container, but she heroically endured everything. Initially, the dog was not provided with any special amenities for a long-term stay in orbit.
The creators of the device thought that the dog would die 6 days after launch, when the device ran out of electricity. But the unexpected happened. Laika survived for only a few hours. The cause of death was excessive heating of the aircraft under the rays of the sun. Laika, the first astronaut dog launched into Earth orbit, died in the name of science.
The tragedy of the whole world
The whole world was in sadness. Reports about the fate of the shaggy creature appeared in the media of many countries. Animal rights activists called Khrushchev the flayer, and demonstrations and other protests were organized. Humanity, which received the news of the launch of the first artificial satellite with delight, is awaiting destruction four-legged friend. They did not need such progress.
Western countries were already commemorating Laika, but in the Soviet Union the media continued to inform people about the state of already dead dog. Only on the eighth day there was a message about communication problems with the space satellite. Subsequently, the USSR reported that the animal was allegedly euthanized. This is how Laika entered history. The astronaut dog allowed engineers to take into account many features of the aircraft in order to send a person into space in the future.
Public opinion
The Soviet people did not like this news. The reason was this: people did not know that this flight was originally planned to be one way. Citizens hoped to see the hero of this space flight after his return to Earth. Because of this, the achievement of domestic cosmonautics did not seem so bright. But in fact, colossal conclusions were drawn; Laika (the astronaut dog) became the hero. Photos of the animal are available in all space museums.
The death of the dog was especially painful for the younger generation. From above, instructions were given to conduct explanatory conversations among schoolchildren about the following:
- Space exploration is important for the country.
- The life of a dog is incomparable compared to the prospects that open up.
- Laika is now known all over the world, but before that it was unknown to anyone.
But the people could not calm down for a long time. One could even hear a joke that Khrushchev himself would fly into space next. Citizens sent proposals to Moscow to award the mongrel the title of Hero of the Soviet Union posthumously and even confer a military rank on her. Rumor has it that this issue was even discussed in the government.
The authorities at that time had not yet learned to influence public opinion. They decided to act using the following method: new Laika cigarettes and cigarettes appeared on the market. Perhaps government circles hoped that the feelings of empathy and grief of citizens would turn into smoke. There was an idea to release other products with the same name, but later this idea was abandoned - it could have turned out to be too much. Nevertheless, Laika (the astronaut dog) who died heroically became a world celebrity. Although she was the most ordinary mongrel who accidentally ended up in a shelter.
One of the most glaring injustices in history is that this dog still does not have the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. Or at least, Russian Federation(posthumously).
And this mistake can just be corrected in 2017. November marks the 60th anniversary of the flight of the first living creature into space. At the beginning of November 1957, at spacecraft Sputnik 2, the first cosmonaut in history, the mongrel Laika, made four orbits around the Earth.
Laika is the first living creature in space, in fact, the first cosmonaut. Her tragic fate, subsequent fame and memory of the dog, who proved that living beings are capable of space flight, all this deserves the title of a real Hero. Moreover, all animals who paved the way into space for science will be awarded in her face.
This collection contains 23 facts about Laika. And it’s even surprising, at least based on the name of this site, why this was not done earlier.
1. When the question arose about who to send into space, scientists chose between dogs and monkeys.
The dogs were chosen because they are more unpretentious and easier to train. There was also a political reason - the Americans used primates, and Soviet scientists did not want repetitions. The photo shows the chimpanzee Ham, who flew into space on January 31, 1961 and returned home.
2. Laika is not the first animal to go into space.
Even before Sputnik 2, geophysical rockets were launched with various dogs. There is a memorable date - July 22, 1951. The first flight of the “dog crew” on a vertically launched geophysical rocket. But these devices, reaching several hundred kilometers, “snapped off” containers with animals. And they parachuted to the ground.
With Laika everything was different. She had to go into orbit and within a week (the life support system was enough) to make orbits around the planet.
In the photo above, scientists retrieve dogs from a landing geophysical rocket.
3. Casting
For the orbital flight, it was necessary to select a small mongrel dog weighing no more than 7 kilograms. Purebred dogs were excluded because of their effeminacy and weakness. Photographers and television crews demanded that the dog be white - this way the animal looked better in photographs and film footage. A dozen animals made it to the semi-finals of the casting. Three made it to the finals - Mukha, Albina and Laika.
The first shallow due to poor photogenicity (it turned out to have a slight curvature of its paws, clearly visible in the photo). Albina (pictured above with her puppies), although she was the most experienced cosmonaut (two flights on a geophysical rocket), was preparing to become a mother and the animal was pitied. After all, it was already known then that the upcoming flight for the astronaut would be fatal. Laika remained, who was about two years old at that time.
4. Before the flight, Laika underwent surgery, during which they installed breathing sensors on her ribs and a pulse sensor near the carotid artery.
Not to mention the death of Laika and the torment of animals... A special commission from the Central Committee and the Council of Ministers did not believe that Laika died due to a design error, and ordered experiments with similar conditions on Earth, as a result of which 2 more dogs died.
5. Laika had no chance of returning alive.
At that time, they had not yet come up with a system that would return devices from space to earth unharmed. But things went even worse - due to an error in the calculations, Laika lived only four orbits around the Earth. Due to the tight deadlines (it was absolutely necessary to meet the 40th anniversary of the revolution), much was done at random. During the flight, the cabin quickly began to heat up, the temperature reached 40 degrees and the dog died.
6. The authorities are hiding...
According to Soviet tradition, there was no intention of telling the truth, and all 7 planned days were told about Laika’s life in space. And then, upon completion of all the planned work, she was allegedly “euthanized.”
Laika has been flying around in space for two months.
Whether she's alive or dead, try to find out.
The machine has not recorded breathing for a long time,
But everyone froze in anticipation of the awards!
These poems were written by Colonel Vitaly Georgievich Volovich, the head of the group for meeting and rescuing cosmonauts, the same one who later met Gagarin in a parachute jump. Just three days later, one of his all-knowing colleagues said: “Poetry is studied in the Central Committee. Vitalik, get ready...” But he was lucky: they ended up with... Shepilov. And since the day before Shepilov “joined the anti-party group,” he had no time for poetry, and Volovich got away with it.
In the frames above: an authentic image of Laika during training in the Sputnik 2 apparatus.
7. In general, people in the USSR did not pay much attention to Laika. No propaganda event was made from her flight.
The press in the USSR did not immediately realize the significance of the event. TASS officially announced the launch of Sputnik 2 on the same day, but the article first listed all the research equipment and only at the end it was written that there was a dog on board.
8. In the Western press this became a sensation. The articles expressed admiration for the dog and at the same time worried.
As already mentioned, the authorities hid the fact that the dog was literally burning alive for several hours. But even the very fact of launching an animal into space without the possibility of return upset many people around the world.
Animal welfare organizations said the flight was truly barbaric. The New York Times published an article calling Laika “the loneliest and most unhappy dog in the world.”
9. Did the American offer to send black children into space instead of Laika?
In the West they even proposed sending Khrushchev himself into space. But the most famous case, widely circulated on the RuNet, is a story about little blacks. Allegedly, one of the American women proposed sending them, and not the dog, into space (without the possibility of return). The source of this information is usually not indicated.
In fact, this letter is given in the propaganda book of the US correspondent for the newspaper “Rural Life” Albertas Laurinciukas “The Third Side of the Dollar” (M., 1968, p. 27). There is a quote from an alleged letter to the UN from one woman from the state of Mississippi: “If for the development of science it is necessary to send living beings into space, in our city there are as many black kids as you like for this.” This, of course, is most likely a lie.
10. In general, in the West, Laika’s flight in Sputnik 2 caused a mixed and contradictory reaction. He simply scared many...
Politicians and the media have sometimes gone overboard in stoking fears about Soviet space successes, but let's not forget that the destruction of capitalism was the officially stated goal of the USSR in many communist countries. program documents, and Secretary General Khrushchev promised to show America “Kuzka’s mother.” The term “peaceful coexistence of two systems” appeared only in the 70s of the twentieth century.
11. Some employees who participated in the preparation of Laika had a psychologically difficult time with the death of the dog.
In the photo: O. Gazenko with the dog-nauts Belka and Strelka who returned to Earth.
Soviet physiologist Oleg Gazenko spoke about his psychological state after the launch of Laika.
“The launch itself and receiving... information is all very cool. But when you understand that you can’t bring this Laika back, that she’s dying there, and that you can’t do anything, and that no one, not just me, no one can bring her back, because there’s no system for returning her, it’s something very heavy feeling. Do you know? When I returned to Moscow from the cosmodrome, and for some time there was still jubilation: speeches on the radio, in newspapers, I left the city. Do you understand? I wanted some privacy.”
12. In 2008, a monument to Laika appeared at the Institute of Military Medicine in Moscow.
The two-meter rocket, which turns into a palm, is crowned with the figure of a little mongrel, who opened the way to the stars for people. And these simple lines on the memorial sign next to the monument were dedicated to Laika by a member of the Russian Writers' Union V. Zapryagaev.
13. The monument to Laika is also installed in Crete (Greece) in the Homo Sapiens Museum (right) and in Holland (left).
Laika eventually became a cult character in pop culture. Mainly in the West. But even in the USSR, her image was widely exploited.
14. Laika cigarettes were released in the USSR after an unexpectedly strong negative reaction from people to the death of an astronaut dog.
15. You can read about the use of dognaut images in marketing here...
16. The 2014 film Guardians of the Galaxy presents an alternative version of Laika's fate after her near-Earth flight.
Taneleir Tivan's collection of life forms includes a live dog wearing a spacesuit with the inscription "USSR" on it. In general, in Marvel comics, the prototype of the dog Cosmo is undoubtedly Laika.
17. English hip-hop musician ICE MC recorded the song “Laika” in the early 90s.
The song is narrated on behalf of Laika, who reproaches people for dooming her to death by sending her into space.
18. The animated film LAIKA is dedicated to the dog.
This is the thesis work of a graduate of the School of National Cinema and Television Avgousta Zourelidi, which won at the Cannes Film Festival.
19. British composer of German origin Max Richter recorded the composition “Laika’s Journey”.
The composition from the 2002 album “Memoryhouse” uses the sound of a heartbeat - as an image of Laika flying alone in orbit. At the end of the composition, the heartbeat increases sharply, and then there is an oppressive silence.
20. A touching mini-pseudo-documentary about Laika - Moan video.
In 2007, Danish disc jockey and musician Anders Trentemøller, together with compatriot Ane Trøle, released a remix of the song “Moan”, which immediately became a hit and entered the top 30 singles in Denmark. The video for this remix shows the story of the dog Laika before being launched into space and in orbit.
21. The English ska band “7 Seconds Of Love” recorded the song “Rocket Dog”, dedicated to Laika.
The leader of this group is Joel Veitch, a famous animator who also made a flash video for this song. The image of Stalin is used there, and the author of the cartoon himself admits that he knows that Nikita Khrushchev was the General Secretary at that time, but Stalin was more suitable for this film.
22. Confession of Gagarin.
Yuri Gagarin once admitted: “I myself don’t understand who I am: the first man (in space) or the last dog.” And there is a great deal of truth in these words. From a technical point of view, the flights of dogs and the first cosmonaut, with all the reservations, were fundamentally not much different. The only difference is that Laika didn’t even know what they were doing to her, but Yuri Alekseevich knew.
The merits of the dog Laika as an astronaut are recognized in the track dedicated not to a specific cosmonaut, but to Soviet cosmonautics as a whole - “Star City”, by the group Visage, one of the leaders of the New Romantics movement of the early 1980s. By the way, it was co-written with the notorious.
Apparently, the text of the ceremonial line dedicated to the astronauts was used as a vocal sample running throughout the track. The girl, in a cheerful voice, lists the heroes “whose names will live forever” - it’s gratifying that in long list after Gagarin, Titov, Leonov, Tereshkova and Savitskaya the names Belka, Strelka and Laika sound.
In November 1957, the USSR accomplished another feat. For the first time in history, a mammal was launched into space orbit. However, there was no triumph - the world greeted the new breakthrough into space with sadness.
The Laika was chosen as the first astronaut animal just 12 days before launch. At first the choice was between rats, mice, monkeys and dogs. Then the experts finally settled on man's best friends. According to legend, the leadership of the USSR believed that dogs were loved more than other mammals, so a hero dog would glorify the Soviet Union faster than a rat or monkey. They decided to adopt the dog from a shelter - experts believed that purebred dogs were too finicky and would not be able to withstand long in orbit. In addition, the mongrel must certainly be light in color in order to look good in the photo. Laika was chosen by elimination: one dog from the applicants was simply pitied (she was carrying puppies), the second was decided to be kept for pragmatic reasons, since it was regularly used in research on technological equipment. There was no one to feel sorry for Laika—she was supposed to be the “suicide passenger.” The last victim October revolution The launch of Sputnik 2 was a somewhat spontaneous decision. After the triumphant flight of the first artificial Earth satellite on October 4, 1957, the Soviet authorities wanted to quickly consolidate their success and surprise the world with a new achievement. The 40th anniversary of the October Revolution was approaching - an excellent occasion. Almost two weeks before the new “space issue” from Nikita Khrushchev, they decide that the “space animal” will now “surprise” the international community. By the way, Sputnik 2 was created on the knees: there were not even any preliminary sketches. The designers designed the new spacecraft right in the workshops, one might say, writing it right on the fly. Of course, no one thought about the dog, which was about to accomplish the feat. Everyone understood that it was doomed - the satellite should not have returned to Earth. The only question was how long Laika would live in space orbit.
Laika turned out to be a very flexible dog. Immediately after the launch of the satellite, telemetry reported that the launch overloads pressed the dog against the container tray, while the dog behaved quietly. Since the project was prepared on the knees, no reliable life support system was created on the satellite. The designers expected that Laika would die when the spacecraft's power supply ran out—in six days. However, the dog died just a few hours later - from overheating. “The shaggiest, loneliest, most unfortunate dog in the world” This is what the American correspondent of The New York Times wrote about the “doomed to death” Laika the day after the flight. Similar articles sympathetic to the dog appeared all over the world. There were protests by animal activists in many countries: Nikita Sergeevich Khrushchev was called a communist barbarian and a flayer. Of course, one could talk about the “order” of the imperialists, about capitalism’s envy of socialism, but politics had nothing to do with it. The world, which greeted the first satellite with hope and joy, is now, for the first time in history, almost in live was waiting for the death of a living creature. Nobody wanted such technological progress.
And while the first warm-blooded cosmonaut was being remembered in the West, the Soviet press continued to talk about her well-being for several days after the actual death of the dog. On the eighth day they reported that contact with the satellite was lost, and even later - about the “planned euthanasia” of the animal. And here I have already begun to wake up Soviet people. The fact is that no one warned the public that the dog was doomed and would never return to Earth. The USSR media modestly kept silent about the details of the “return” from the very beginning, so citizens sincerely waited for the heroic mongrel, thinking of ways to “land” her. “Khrushchev into space!” Another feat of Soviet cosmonautics turned out to be blurred due to public opinion. Moreover, it was not only animal activists in the West who spoiled it. In the USSR, many people’s sense of patriotism also faltered - “everyone felt sorry for the dog.” The news of the death of the cute mongrel resonated with pain in the hearts of many Soviet citizens. Of course, the children were the most upset. By special order, “explanatory work” was carried out in many schools: teachers told sentimental schoolchildren about how important space flights were for the USSR, that a dumb creature like a dog was not the most serious victim in the exploration of the Universe, and in general - an unknown mongrel was now famous to the whole world. However, the wave of discontent did not subside for long. There was a joke among the people that Khrushchev should fly into space next. It is curious that hundreds of letters came to the Kremlin with a proposal to posthumously award Laika the Order of the Hero of the Soviet Union and confer a military rank. They say that the authorities even discussed these popular initiatives.
They didn’t yet know how to work with public opinion in the “domestic market” in the USSR - they were used to bringing people’s feelings with the help of another “therapy.” But there was a “thaw” outside, so it was necessary to look for more soulful ways. They decided to “relax” the country with the help of a new type of Laika cigarettes (later cigarettes), which, apparently, according to the idea of the then “PR people”, were supposed to turn all civic sympathy for the unfortunate dog into smoke. According to tales of the time, Khrushchev initially planned to make Laika a kind of umbrella brand: under the nickname of the animal astronaut, it was planned to launch candy, ice cream and even processed cheese. But someone with a sober mind in Khrushchev’s team warned that there might be too much, so they decided to stop only at cigarettes. True, a somewhat ominous and cynical logical chain emerged - “The dog burned, and the cigarettes burned too.”