Who Was Laika? The Little Dog That Never Returned From Space
On November 3, 1957, the Soviet Union made history by sending the first living creature into space, a stray dog named Laika. The mission aimed to determine whether space travel would be safe for humans. Sadly, it was a one-way journey, as there was no technology to bring her back to Earth.
Laika, found wandering the streets of Moscow just days before the launch, was chosen for her small size and calm nature, making her ideal for the confined spacecraft. After a brief but intense training period, she was placed aboard Sputnik 2 and launched into orbit, alone and far from home.
Her sacrifice paved the way for future human spaceflight, leaving behind a legacy as one of space exploration's earliest pioneers.
Why Was Laika Chosen and What Was The Mission?
The stray dog was chosen for this mission because she was used to living in tough conditions. But the mission was rushed and there was no plan to bring her back or keep her alive for long. Laika's space mission, called Korabl-Sputnik 2, was planned by the Soviet Union during the Cold War, when both the USSR and the USA were trying to reach space.
In 1957, the animal was launched into orbit inside a small cabin, which was tight and built quickly. Scientists had placed small devices in her body to track her heart rate and breathing. The spacecraft went around the Earth and sent back important information. Sadly, the cabin became too hot after a few hours and Laika passed away. Her mission still gave scientists useful data about life in space.
Laika was a small mixed-breed dog and her original name was Kudrayavka, which means Little Curly in Russian. She later got the name Laika, meaning Barker, after she barked during a live interview. In the US, some people even jokingly called her Muttnik, a blend of 'mutt' and 'Sputnik.' During her space flight, she weighed around 13 pounds (6 kilograms).
The Cruel Training
Laika's training, along with that of other stray dogs chosen for space missions, was extremely harsh. The dogs were kept in cages that became smaller and smaller over time to get them used to the tight space inside the Sputnik 2 cabin. The stressful conditions took a toll on them as the dogs started refusing food and even stopped going to the bathroom, despite being given medicine to help.
The night before Laika's launch, Dr Vladimir Yazdovsky, one of the scientists on the mission, spent some special time with her. As everyone knew, she won't be able to survive the flight, so he wanted to give her one last moment of comfort. He took her home to play with his children. He simply wanted to do something kind for her because she had so little time left.
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