Laika, a stray dog from the streets of Moscow, became an international icon as the first living being to orbit Earth. Launched on November 3, 1957, aboard the Soviet spacecraft Sputnik 2, her journey marked a significant milestone in space exploration, albeit one with a tragic ending.
At the height of the Cold War, the Soviet Union and the United States were locked in a fierce race for space supremacy. After the success of Sputnik 1, the first artificial satellite to orbit Earth, Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev wanted to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the October Revolution with a landmark achievement. The technology to send humans into space had not yet been developed, so the Soviets turned to animals as pioneers.
Laika, a three-year-old mixed breed dog, was selected for the mission. She was chosen for her resilience, having been found on the streets of Moscow, and was trained for the harsh conditions of space. Her preparation included getting accustomed to eating specialized food, enduring the spinning of a centrifuge to simulate the gravitational forces of launch, and enduring the confinement of the spacecraft.
The mission was a one-way trip, and it was made clear from the beginning that Laika would not return to Earth alive. The Soviet authorities claimed that Laika survived for six to seven days in space before dying from a lack of oxygen. However, the true nature of her death remained hidden for decades. In 2002, Russian scientist Dimitri Malashenkov revealed that Laika's life had only lasted five to seven hours after launch, and that she died from overheating. The spacecraft's thermal control system malfunctioned, and the insulation on the spacecraft tore off during launch, allowing heat to build up, causing the dog to succumb to the extreme conditions.
Laika's remains were destroyed when the spacecraft re-entered Earth's atmosphere on April 14, 1958. While her death was tragic, her mission was crucial in furthering space exploration, contributing to the eventual success of missions that safely sent living creatures back to Earth. In 1960, two dogs, Belka and Strelka, successfully orbited Earth and returned alive, paving the way for human spaceflight.
