Dogs Data

The Space Race was the upshot of the Cold War between Russian and America in 1950s and the Russians surpassed the Americans on October 4, 1957 when they launched Sputnik 1, a rocket of a basketball size. Following it, Russia sent another rocket into space on November 7, 1957. But the difference between the first and second rocket was a living being Laika, a dog. Tests were applied on three stray dogs with the names of Albina, Mushka, and Laika. All three were put under extremely loud noises and intense vibrations while they were wrapped in space suits. After training these three, Laika was ultimately selected to undergo the unique experience of orbiting the earth in Sputnik 2.

Laika became a celebrity                   

Three years old Laika came into lime light when she boarded on Sputnik 2. She was spotted with iodine to fix sensors on her. These sensors were to check her body functions, blood pressure, and heartbeat. Also she was covered with an alcohol solution. The module made for Laika had enough space for her to move freely in it and lay as she needed. Gelatinous food was put there for her during the adventure.

Sputnik 2 launched

On November 3, 1957, Laika set for her journey in Sputnik 2 which was launched from Baikonur Commodore. The rocket reached the space and started circling the earth every hour and forty two minutes at 18,000 miles/hour. Laika was the talk of the global town. Scientists could not succeed to make her survive after six days though there are different opinions on how many days she lived and what the real reason of her death was.

Laika opened the new horizons

Though Laika could not come alive to be hailed as the first alive being returning from space but she paved the way to new possibilities of human survival into space. The Russians found the new dimensions of research and spacecraft following the data provided by her.