Which dog went into space first. Know that the first in space were not people, but Soviet dogs

Before humans themselves went into space due to prevailing theories of the danger of space flight and fear of not surviving the prolonged effects of weightlessness, animals were first sent into space. For several years, there has been serious debate among scientists about the effects of prolonged zero gravity. American and Russian scientists used animals - mostly monkeys, chimpanzees and dogs - to test the ability of living organisms in space and test their return safe and sound.

In the United States, Aerobee projects took place in the early 1950s. Basing their experiments on American biomedical research, Soviet scientists dispatched a rocket with a team of mice for initial testing. But, later, it was necessary to collect data for the development of the cockpit so that people could be sent into space. In the end, small dogs were chosen for this kind of experiment. As the scientists decided, the test with dogs will provide more accurate results. On the streets near the research center of the space program, the Institute of Aviation Medicine in Moscow, mongrels were selected. Stray dogs were considered more resilient than purebred dogs as they could take care of themselves on the streets of the city. They were selected by weight and size: no more than 6 kilograms and no more than 35 centimeters.

Between 1951 and 1952, Soviet R-1 rockets sent nine dogs into space, three of which flew twice. Each flight was carried out by a pair of dogs in hermetically sealed containers, returning by parachute. Of these early space tests, only a few dogs were remembered by name.
(In the photo, Dezik and Gypsy)

On August 15, 1951, Dezik and Gypsy were launched. These two were the first suborbital astronauts. They were successfully returned. In early September 1951, Desik was again sent into space, only together with another dog named Lisa. This second flight was unsuccessful. The dogs died, but the data logger survived. The scientist who was involved in this project (Korolev) was devastated by the loss of the dogs.

Soon after, Brave and Baby were launched. The brave one fled the day before the start. The crew was worried that the wolves that lived nearby might eat her. She returned the next day and the test flight was successfully resumed. The launch of the fourth test was a failure, and again ended in the death of the dogs. However, in the same month, the fifth test run of two dogs was successful. On September 15, 1951, the sixth launch of two dogs took place. One of the dogs, Bobik, then escaped, a replacement was found near the local cafeteria. Then the dog from the canteen was named "ZIB" - Replacement of the Disappeared Bobik. Still, the flight and return were successful.

There were also other dogs associated with that series of flights, including Kozyavka, Damka, Albina and others. Boogie, Linda and Baby were the first dogs whose names were declassified and presented to the public in June 1957. They visited the uppermost layers of the atmosphere at an altitude of 110 kilometers above the Earth.
(In the photo Kozyavka, Damka and Albina)

The next step for the Soviet space program was the first orbital flight with a living being: Laika.
(Laika in the photo)

Laika was a small, homeless mongrel picked up from the street. Laika was chosen because she demonstrated exceptional endurance and tolerance during her pre-flight training. These were wonderful characteristics for a martyr for humanity. In addition, she was a flamboyant dog, light-colored with dark brown spots on her face that gave a surprised expression. Her image was well reproduced in black and white photographs and film frames. This was an important factor as the launch was historically significant and was carefully recorded. On November 3, 1957, Sputnik 2 exploded in orbit around Earth with Laika on board. She was hastily trained and placed aboard in a metal carrier. There was no time to work out any strategy for re-entering the atmosphere, Laika flew in space for several hours until satellite 2 burned out in the outer atmosphere.

Why was Laika sent into space, not knowing how to save her? The ideology of the space race meant that there was no time left to develop a recovery system before sending Laika into space. Khrushchev told scientists that another satellite should be launched in honor of the rapidly approaching fortieth anniversary of the October Revolution, November 7, 1957. Sputnik-2 was prepared in a terrible rush. 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 trapped in the cruel millstone of the Cold War.
(In the photo Lichka and Seagull)

On July 28, 1960, in the Soviet Union, Chaika and Fox were launched on the first artificial earth satellite. The ship is the prototype of the manned spacecraft Vostok. The launch vehicle exploded on launch, killing two dogs. They were the best and favorite dogs at the institute. Junior researcher Lyudmila Radkevich later recalled how bright and wonderful they were, especially Chanterelle. It was later believed that sending ginger dogs into space was a bad omen.
(In the photo Belka and Strelka)

On August 19, 1960, Belka and Strelka were launched on Sputnik 5 along with twelve mice, insects, plants, mushroom crops, various microbes, wheat germ, peas, onions and corn. In addition, there were twenty-eight laboratory mice and two white rats in the booth. The flight was successful, Strelka later gave birth to a litter of six puppies.
(In the photo Bee and Fly)

Bee and Fly were launched aboard Earth satellite 6 on December 1, 1960 along with mice, insects and plants. At the end of the flight, the descent trajectory turned out to be very steep, and the ship burned up along with the animals upon entering the atmosphere.

Tragedies happened not only in space, but also on Earth. So, during training in the isolation chamber, the youngest candidate for astronauts, Valentin Bondarev, died.

On December 22, 1960, Soviet scientists again tried to conquer space, sending the dogs Damka and Krasavka into space, however, the upper stage of the rocket showed a malfunction and the launch was interrupted. The rocket exploded at the start, the dogs on board, Damka and Krasavka, were killed.
(In the photo Chernushka)

On March 9, 1961, another dog named Chernushka was launched into space. Chernushka's Sputnik ship was accompanied into space by an astronaut's dummy, mice and guinea pigs. The flight was successful.
(Asterisk in the photo)

Another dog named Zvezdochka also successfully flew on March 25, 1961. Thus, structures and systems of spacecraft have been successfully tested.
(Pictured is the cat Félicette)

On October 18, 1963, French scientists launched the first cat into space. The cat, named Félicette, was successfully returned during the parachuting process, and the second cat flight on October 24 ran into difficulties and failed.

Scientists have used the animal kingdom for testing. Despite the losses, these animals taught scientists a lot of experience and knowledge, without the contribution and sacrifices of animals, we would not have learned anything. Without animal testing in the early days of space programs, Soviet and American programs would have suffered great losses in human lives. Animals gave their lives for the development of manned space flights, so let's not forget their contribution to our history!

The first manned flight into space took place on April 12, 1961. This is still taught at school. Less well known are the other heroes - dogs who fearlessly paved the way for space exploration. Sometimes they sacrificed their health for this, and sometimes their lives.

Most space tests involving dogs were carried out in the 50-60s of the last century. The intensity of such experiments at that time was enormous, since it was a question of the primacy of man's spacewalk. Most of the astronaut dogs were launched in the aircraft of the USSR and the PRC.

Before humanity can cross the border separating the upper atmosphere and space, it was decided that animals would be the pioneers. Two candidate species were chosen: dogs and monkeys.

During the selection period, scientists found out that monkeys are not so successful in training and learning, their capricious nature is often manifested, they often behave restlessly and unpredictable in their actions. Dogs, on the other hand, readily interacted with researchers and were less stressed.

Scientists emphasized that dogs should be ordinary mongrel mongrels, which were selected for research just on the street. This was due to the fact that they had already passed natural selection, therefore they were endowed with excellent physical indicators.

Pedigree representatives were much inferior in such characteristics:

• excellent immunity and restorative reserve of the body;
• ingenuity and learning;
• unpretentiousness in nutrition and excellent digestion;
• dedication and desire to please a person.

Special requirements were applied to the physical parameters:

• height no higher than 35 cm and weight up to 6 kg - this was required based on the size of the cabins in the rockets;
• short hair - necessary for the tight attachment of sensors on the body;
• females - it was easier for them to develop a urine diversion system in space;
• age - from 2 to 6 years old;
• white coat color - for the most advantageous appearance on the TV screen.

Animals were launched into space in pairs to provide average results.

Geophysical rockets

Research on launching dogs into space on this type of aircraft was carried out in three stages:

• Height up to 100 km. The speed of the rocket was 4.2 thousand km / h, while the acceleration was enormous and the overloads reached 5.5 units. The animals were tied with special belts in trays. After reaching the maximum height, the head compartment with the dogs by parachute descended to the ground. Often, experiments ended with minor injuries to animals, and several times their result was a lethal outcome.
• Height up to 110 km. Animals ejected in spacesuits on parachutes and sometimes one of the two companions returned, and sometimes everything went well. The duration of such flights did not exceed 20 minutes.
• Height up to 450 km. At this stage, the animals landed without ejection, in the head compartment of the rocket. Sometimes animals of other species (rabbits, rats, mice) joined the dogs. In one flight, the animals were under the influence of general anesthesia.

Test progress

The flight data was strictly classified. The animals were endowed with pseudonymous nicknames, so for a long time there was confusion in the information about the participants.

Dogs in pairs were selected on the basis of mental compatibility and comfort of interaction, so it was impossible to replace partners. On one occasion, the flight was threatened with disruption due to the fact that one dog, which was supposed to fly the next day, escaped during an evening walk. However, he returned the next morning and began to lick the hands of the people guiltily. The flight took place.

Scientists treated animals very warmly: despite the fact that the food was balanced and strictly coordinated, everyone tried to quietly bring something tasty to their pet from home. Even Korolev, who directed the course of all tests, trainings and experiments and advocated the fulfillment of prohibitions, could not resist the temptation and fed the pets. He perceived the injuries and loss of each dog very painfully, not only from the point of view of failures in the advancement of astronautics, but also as personal guilt before the devoted animals. Many pets were taken to their homes by the testing center staff after completing their mission.

Pioneer

The first dog to enter orbit was a two-year-old Laika. This nickname was given to her by the staff of the test center for the fact that she often barked loudly. Her real nickname was Kudryavka. Before the flight into space, the animal was surgically implanted with respiration sensors and a pulse sensor. She was gradually accustomed to a place in the cockpit so that she felt familiar there. To do this, she spent a little time every day in the compartment where she would have to be after takeoff.

Before the start, Laika was dressed in a special jumpsuit, which was attached to the equipment with wires. The length of the wires was enough for her to change her body position: to stand up, sit down and lie down freely.

On November 3, 1957, Laika was launched into space. It was originally planned that its flight would continue for a week, but the animal died after completing 4 orbits around the Earth in 6-7 hours. The cause of death was overheating due to a design error. After that, the spacecraft continued to cruise around the planet until April 1958, after which it burned up in the upper atmosphere.

Information about Laiki's death was kept silent, news about her condition was broadcast for another week, and then the media announced that the dog had been euthanized. This news caused a wide response and was received mournfully by the Western media.

The next step in space exploration was the task of successfully returning living beings to earth. The difficulty lay in the long-term presence of animals in a small space. Although the flight should last about a day, the dogs were trained for an eight-day stay in orbit.

There were many contenders for the sensational stage of space research, but Belka and Strelka were the clear favorites. The squirrel was very active, taking the lead during all tasks. The shooter, on the contrary, showed extreme restraint, but was very affectionate and friendly.

The flight took place on 08/19/1960. At first, after entering orbit, the animals had an excess of pulse and respiration, but in a short time all indicators returned to normal. For the first time, tele-tracking was provided, so scientists on Earth could receive video from a ship in space.

Belka and Strelka in space quickly returned to normal, but at a certain moment Belka's condition worsened. She began to vomit and was acting restlessly. After landing, tests showed that the animals were under stress, but in a short time the state was completely stabilized.

The dogs immediately became stars, their photos and videos spread all over the world. The first animals to successfully return from space continued to live in the research center. Strelka a few months after space travel became the mother of six robust puppies.

Both dogs lived to a ripe old age, being in the care of the state.

Their flight was the last step on the way of man's journey into space. But the flights of dogs did not stop there. They are being carried out now, but with new neighbors on board - with human astronauts. It is thanks to their presence that it is possible to study and track biochemistry, genetics, cytology of living organisms in space.

At the end of March 1961, a dog named Zvezdochka made one revolution around the Earth and successfully landed, becoming the last one who had a chance to visit space before a person: more dogs did not fly into space. It was on it that they worked out all the stages of the flight, which were to be performed a little later by the first human cosmonaut.

They say that Yuri Gagarin, after his flight at one of the banquets, uttered a phrase that has become printed only in our time. "I still don't understand," he said, "who I am:" the first man "or" the last dog. "

What was said was considered a joke, but, as you know, there is some truth in every joke. It was the dogs that paved the way for all Soviet astronauts into space. It is noteworthy that the world's first cosmodrome also has a "dog" name: in Kazakh "bai" means "dog", and "Baikonur" literally means "dog house".

After the first dog launch of the mongrels Dezik and Gypsy, held on July 22, 1951, scientists came to the conclusion that living creatures can fly on rockets. However, a week later, a mournful list of space victims was opened: during the second test, Dezik's parachute did not open, and the dog crashed.

Before the legendary flight of Belka and Strelka succeeded, eighteen canine lives were ruined. Dogs died from a cabin depressurization, failure of the parachute system, and malfunctions in the life support system.

The first squad of dogs - candidates for space flights - consisted of the most common yard dogs. Doctors believed that from the first day they were forced to fight for survival, moreover, they were unpretentious and very quickly get used to the staff, which was tantamount to training.

The direct training of dogs for the flight was carried out at the Institute of Aviation Medicine. Small dogs weighing 6-7 kg were selected for the experiments (the rocket cabin was designed for low weight), aged from two to six years, with good health, high resistance to diseases and resistance to adverse environmental influences. Moreover, they had to be contact and patient. Later, the "space squad" began to select "girls" (it was easier for them to sew sewage clothes) of a light color (so that it could be better seen on a television picture). Remembering that the dogs would have to "show off" on the pages of newspapers, they selected "objects" more beautiful, slimmer and with "intelligent" faces.

A serious scientific program was developed to train dogs for short rocket flights and for long flights on satellites. First of all, dogs were accustomed to clothes. Clothes were of two types - fixing and sewage. Dogs preparing to fly into space had to learn to eat from an automatic feeder. The feeder was a conveyor belt that feeds boxes of food at a given time. The dogs were also taught that they could safely stay in a small cabin for a long time (up to twenty days). Also, the dogs underwent various special trainings: spinning in a centrifuge, testing on a vibrating table, ejection. In conclusion, a complex physiological experiment was carried out: the dogs were for a long time in a closed, sealed capsule, being exposed to the effects that were expected in flight.

Meanwhile, all the glory after the flight on the Sputnik-5 spacecraft went to two of the most successful dogs-cosmonauts. Belka and Strelka became the first living creatures to safely return to Earth after an orbital flight.

The purpose of this experiment is to study the impact of cosmic radiation on living organisms, as well as to test the effectiveness of various life support systems - food, water supply, sewage disposal, waste recovery. The ship was equipped with biomedical equipment, which recorded changes in the dogs' organisms throughout the flight. Special suits of red and green colors were sewn for the dogs to fly.

The satellite ship consisted of two main parts: a descent vehicle with a pressurized cabin and an instrument compartment. On the outer surface of the spacecraft were located cylinders with supplies of compressed gas for the attitude control system and its jet engines, sensors of scientific equipment, solar panels, antennas, shutters of the thermal control system. With the help of an autonomous drive, solar cells were constantly oriented towards the Sun. When returning to Earth, it was envisaged to separate the descent vehicle from the spacecraft before entering the dense layers of the atmosphere (the instrument compartment burned out in these layers).

The pressurized cabin of the descent vehicle housed a life support system for animals, equipment for biological experiments, a part of scientific equipment, an ejection container, cages and containers with biological objects.

In 2010, the year of the anniversary of Belka and Strelka's space flight, a 3D cartoon about the adventures of dogs was released.

The material was prepared based on information from open sources

As you know, dogs were the first to fly into space. But before being outside the airspace, the animals had to undergo full training. They were required to be in excellent physical condition and highly trained. The dogs were taught to be overloaded repeatedly, to a state of weightlessness, to equipment.

In such a capsule, dogs were placed during the flights of the first Soviet spaceships.

At the beginning of space exploration, the risk was too great. Therefore, dogs were sent on test flights instead of humans. The criteria by which the animals were selected were very strict. Young animals up to 6 years old, small in size, weighing 5-6 kg were selected. They were also required to be in good health and resilient to adverse environmental conditions. In addition to physical parameters, much attention was paid to character. Introverted, sullen and aggressive animals were eliminated immediately. Future astronauts were supposed to have good mental potential. Also, when selecting future cosmonauts, preference was given to dogs with a light color. They were better seen on the TV screen.

In such spacesuits, dogs landed on the ground after being ejected from the stratosphere.

It so happened that the most suitable for participation in the experiments were outbred "balls". Dogs with pedigree were often not fit for a number of parameters.
Where would the future cosmonauts live? Sometimes they were found on the streets or in kennels for stray dogs.

The first flight

Dog Kozyavka on pre-flight training, 1956

Academician Sergei Pavlovich Korolev himself met the dogs, happily running around the car with them. How successful the flight proved to be depended on whether further experiments would continue. The gypsy did not fly into space anymore. The dog was taken by academician Blagonravov. But Dezik continued to serve science. On July 29, 1951, he took off again. A week has passed since the first experiment. Scientists were interested in how stable his psyche would be. Unfortunately, it was not possible to find out this. Dezik died along with the second dog, Lisa. The parachute did not work and the compartment, where the dogs were, crashed into the ground.

Dog Ugolyok, in the same capsule he flew into Earth's orbit

Summer 1951

The last stages of preparing Ugolok and Veterok for the 22-day flight on the Cosmos-110 satellite

Emergency situation

In order not to disrupt the launch of the rocket, they decided not to report anything to S.P.Korolev, but simply to replace the dog. As a result, together with the dog Neputev, an absolutely unprepared dog went into space, which was found near the soldiers' cafeteria.

Belka (left) and Strelka (right) - dogs that made the first orbital flight on the Sputnik-2 spacecraft

The animal turned out to be capable. Just a few hours later, the newly minted cosmonaut went on a flight. The launch and landing went well, the dogs returned safely to the ground.

Immediately after the flight, the nameless dog received the nickname ZIB. The acronym stood for simply - Vanished Bobick's Spare. Although Academician Korolev noticed an unfamiliar dog, the experimenters who voluntarily replaced the dog did not have any problems.

Pressurized orbital dog cabin

End of the suborbital flight period

In 1954, a new way of returning animals to earth was tested - ejection in space and return not in a special compartment, but in an individual spacesuit. On July 26, 1954, for the first time, a living creature appeared in space, protected only by a spacesuit. The pioneers were the dogs Ryzhik and Lisa-2. This flight ended successfully. But the second Mishka was not lucky. Only Damka returned from the flight that took place on July 2.

Booger dog just before the flight

Experiments on launching rockets with dogs into suborbital space, that is, to an altitude of up to 100 kilometers, continued with varying success for another three years. The last flight took place on September 6, 1957. Scientists began to gradually move to orbital flights

The beginning of the space age

Dog Kozyavka after a safe landing from a height of 210 km

Dog Baby after a safe landing from a height of 110 km

Belka and Strelka

On August 19, 1960, a rocket was launched into orbit, on board which were not only dogs, but also forty mice, two white rats, several species of insects and plants, as well as mushrooms and seeds.

Dog Baby after a flight in a spacesuit

The spacecraft was in orbit for about a day. During this time, 17 revolutions were made around our planet.

By a tragic accident, the then unknown, and now legendary Belka and Strelka went on this flight. According to the plan, the dogs Chaika and Fox were to go into orbit. But they died on July 28, 1960, flying on a rocket that never went out into space.

This flight went down in the history of space exploration forever. For the first time, intelligent beings not only traveled beyond the limits of near-earth space, but also returned safe and sound. The entire world knew the names of the first cosmonauts. It was difficult for famous people to compete in popularity with two mongrels. Both dogs survived to old age. One of Arrow's many descendants became Jacqueline Kennedy's pet.

Before sending a man into space, it was necessary to make sure that the success of the first launch was not an accident. At least twice in a row, satellite ships with dogs on board should have returned safely. But the next four such experiments ended tragically.

Successful flight of Stars

Thanks to these two successful launches, literally two and a half weeks later, a man went into space. On April 12, 1961, the Vostok spacecraft was launched into orbit, on board of which was Aviation Senior Lieutenant Yuri Gagarin.

The dog Laika, the first living creature to orbit the Earth, is our national hero. Her bold and tragic mission Sputnik 2, when the dog became an unwitting pioneer of the USSR space program more than 57 years ago, has become stuck in our collective consciousness. Her story formed the basis of films and songs, was immortalized in monuments and souvenirs. Here is the honest story of the world's first astronaut dogs.

Laika is not the only astronaut dog to die during the Soviet space program; more than a dozen other dogs have lost their lives before her. However, during the space race, fueled by the Cold War, and NASA in the United States sacrificed several monkeys, filling them with bones on the way for people. However, several Soviet space dogs survived and returned to relatively normal life. 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 the heroism of the Soviet Union: simple animals laid down their lives for the country's scientific achievements. Everything from stamps and envelopes to children's toys, cigarette packs and candy cans was full of images of these fluffy animals.

Damon Murray, co-founder of FUEL Design and Publishing in London, decided to create a book about the achievements of Soviet astronaut dogs. He collected the images with the help of Olesya Turkina, a senior researcher at the Russian Museum, wrote the text and gave it to his business partner, Stephen Sorrel, for publishing. The result was a grandiose work on Soviet cosmonauts. We will share excerpts and images with you in this article. The 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 the 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”. Actually, this became known as the "space race".

Flying with dogs was supposed to determine the effect of space on living organisms. Until then, not a single living creature had experienced any takeoff 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 are safe for humans.

Why did you choose dogs over cats or monkeys?

Dogs have historically been experimental in the USSR. Ivan Petrovich Pavlov studied the reflex system on them and achieved brilliant results. Monkeys were considered more human-like in many ways. Dr. Oleg Gazenko, one of the main scientists of the space program, even visited the circus to observe the famous Capellini monkeys; in fact, he convinced Gazenko that monkeys are very problematic creatures. They needed intensive training and numerous vaccinations, and were emotionally unstable. (And the cats did not tolerate the flight conditions, which was later confirmed during the French missions in 1963). It was decided: the first astronauts will be dogs.

On the streets near the research center of the space program, the Institute of Aviation Medicine in Moscow, mongrels were selected. Stray dogs were considered more resilient than purebred dogs because they could take care of themselves on the streets of the city. They were selected by weight and size: no more than 6 kilograms and no more 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?

Dezik and Gypsy became the first dogs to fly on a rocket on July 22, 1951. Scientists were delighted when the dogs returned safe and sound, ran towards the landing capsule (although it was strictly forbidden), shouted “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 later, 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 estimated that more than 30 suborbital missiles were launched between July 1951 and November 1960. At least 15 dogs participating in these launches have died. One lucky one - Bobik - managed to escape right before the mission. He was replaced by another mongrel named ZIB - these were the initials from "Replacing the Vanished Bobik."

What happened to the dogs after their missions?

After a successful mission, dogs were usually used for propaganda purposes. For example, the Brave dog 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 Rocket" by Marta Baranova and Evgeny Veltistov. Some of the dogs were taken away by the 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 Kometa) went to the home of 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 were not just dogs, they were the first living creatures to be in space, celebrities, often appeared on television and radio.

These dogs were heroes of the USSR. They were appreciated and respected for their work for the good of the country, as well as humanity as a whole. Belief in progress and the ability to sacrifice for the sake of a common goal became the basis of personal and social heroism, forcing Soviet citizens to work miracles. For the sake of a great goal, it was possible not only to sacrifice 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 subjects. Once, when the Chief Designer found the dog food bowls empty, he sent a guard to jail. Perhaps this is a legend. The same Chief Designer, Sergei Korolev, before the flight of the space dog Chanterelle whispered in her ear: "Most of all I want you to come back safe." The chanterelle is dead. Due to the secrecy surrounding the program, it was inconceivable 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 picture as a souvenir.

Commenting on Laika's death in Sputnik-2, one of the leading scientists, Oleg Gazenko, said 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 much on this mission to justify the death of the dog. ”

How did these dogs eat and relieve themselves on board?

The problem of feeding dogs in zero gravity was solved by combining nutrients with agar-agar, a jelly-like substance. This "jelly" could be easily consumed and waste minimized. It was more difficult for the dogs to find a convenient way to relieve themselves in such unusual conditions. Although their costumes had special vessels for urine and feces, it was quite difficult to train dogs to use them. They preferred to relieve themselves on the street, but not indoors, not in a booth, and certainly not in a suit. This process was unnatural for dogs, and only those who adapted to it were selected. For orbital flights, only knots were selected, they were more suitable for space, since they did not have to protrude their hind legs.

When and why did the USSR begin to publicize experiments with space dogs?

Kozyavka, Linda and Malyshka became the first dogs whose names were declassified and presented to the public in June 1957. They visited the uppermost layers of the 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 being: Laika.

The Soviet ideological machine took every opportunity to demonstrate that, after flying, these dogs could give birth to healthy puppies. This was proof that they were not harmed by the adventure - it was extremely important in order to get a man into space. Nikita Khrushchev even gave one of Strelka's puppies (named Pushkin) as a present to President John F. Kennedy. Fearing that the Russians had found a secret way to plant the bug in the puppy, it was carefully studied and scanned before being handed over to the presidential family.

What selection did Laika go through to become the first dog in orbit?

Laika was chosen because she demonstrated exceptional endurance and tolerance during her pre-flight training. These were wonderful characteristics for a martyr for humanity. In addition, she was a flamboyant dog, light-colored with dark brown spots on her face that created a surprised expression. Her image was well reproduced in black and white photographs and film frames. This was an important factor as the launch was historically significant and was carefully recorded.

Why was Laika sent into space, not knowing how to save her?

The ideology of the space race meant 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 40th anniversary of the October Revolution, on November 7, 1957. Sputnik-2 was prepared in a terrible rush.

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 trapped in the cruel millstone of the Cold War. Soviet children were told the story of Laika as a heroic creature, which, in principle, she was: a kind and intelligent dog who went into space. For adults, her fate resembled their own. It is not surprising that on the bas-relief "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 identified.

What did the USSR apparatus say about the death of a dog and when did the truth become known?

After the initial commotion 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", newspapers periodically published reports on her health. This period was followed by the announcement that the dog had lived in orbit for a week and during this time served as a source of invaluable data on the possibility of life in space. She was then painlessly euthanized. There were several options for explaining her death. First, euthanasia was administered remotely. Secondly, euthanasia was introduced with food. Thirdly, on the eighth day, she ran out of oxygen.

In reality, due to an error in the calculation of 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 inhuman and suggested 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 was to immortalize her.

By the time of Belka and Strelka's flight, what changes were made?

Their capsule was equipped with a camera that transmitted images in real time from space to Earth. After the landing of Belka and Strelka, a documentary film about preparations for the flight was released, including live broadcast from space. The whole world watched Arrow spinning merrily 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, fastened with wires. They bravely endured the cold and warmth in the training capsule, got used to sitting for several days in a cramped module, where they could not walk, only sit or lie down. Inside the same module, they learned to eat jelly-like food supplied by an automatic dispenser. They spun on the carousel and learned to endure the rocket noise by listening to it on the tape. They were seated on a vibrating table and forced to sleep in a brightly lit room. They even flew by plane. But the most serious test for the dogs was the catapult chair, from which they suddenly flew into space and landed by parachute.

Initially, this mission was supposed to be performed by the Seagull and the Fox. But they were tragically killed on July 28, 1960, when their rocket exploded at the launch pad. They were the best and favorite dogs at the institute. Junior researcher Lyudmila Radkevich later recalled how bright and wonderful they were, especially Chanterelle. It was later believed that sending red dogs into space was a bad omen.

What was the flight of Belka and Strelka?

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 crops, various microbes, sprouts of wheat, peas, onions and corn went on the flight. In addition, there were twenty-eight laboratory mice and two white rats in the booth.

Only after the first orbital flyby was completed did the dogs begin to bark. Vladimir Yazdovskiy, a leading biologist and explorer of the upper atmosphere and outer space, said that as long as the dogs bark and not howl, they are confident 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, one would think they were already.

As expected, due to the overload on takeoff, the heart rate and respiration increased, but quickly returned to normal. Nevertheless, in the fourth orbit, Belka began to rip out wires, bark and vomit. This reaction played a key role in the subsequent decision to send a man for only a short time in one orbital flight. Belka and Strelka remained in flight for more than 24 hours, which allowed scientists to carefully study the long-term effects of weightlessness and radiation on living organisms. In orbit 18, on 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, their portraits were featured in newspapers and magazines. They were invited to festive meetings with selected Soviet citizens. Politicians, eminent workers, schoolchildren, celebrities - all 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 spacecraft technologies meant that they would not fall into the hands of the USSR's direct competitors in the space race: the United States. During the orbiting space flight mission on December 1, 1960, the trajectory of the reentry module deviated from the programmed course. When the system registered the risk of landing outside the territory of the USSR, the onboard self-destruction mechanism was activated. Dogs Mushka and Pchelka, which flew around the Earth 17 times, were killed in this way.

What do we know about the "cosmonaut" Ivan Ivanovich?

Ivan Ivanovich was a dummy. He flew as the predecessor of Yuri Gagarin to provide a more accurate understanding of the pressure of space flight on humans. He wore the same orange suit that the first astronaut would later wear. Its chest, abdomen and groin house the entire spectrum of Darwinian evolution. This "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 dogs been in space after Yuri Gagarin?

As technology improved, it became possible to increase the duration of manned missions, which means that it became possible to study how a long stay in space could affect people. On February 22, 1966, a satellite went into orbit with two dogs on board: Veterkom and Ugolok. The dogs did not survive the long flight. Anyway, they were removed from orbit earlier than planned. After landing, Veterok and Ugolyok suffered from dehydration and bedsores. True, they quickly recovered and subsequently gave birth to healthy puppies. Their flight lasted 22 days, which is still the record for a dog in orbit. At that time, it was a record for a living being in space in general and continued for another five years, until it was beaten by Soviet cosmonauts with the ill-fated Soyuz-11 mission.

How were dogs and their achievements immortalized?

The idea of \u200b\u200bcreating monuments to space dogs arose even when they first began to be sent into space. But since the USSR was focused on the future, the ongoing space program remained the main symbol, and this ambition remained unfulfilled. After a man successfully entered space, the country's attention was completely focused on people, and not on dogs-astronauts.

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 that gave their lives in the name of science. The inscription reads: "In honor of the first living being to reach space." On the column is Laika's figure, peering into Sputnik-1. In Japan, the image of Laika became the symbol of the Year of the Dog in 1958, which led to the production of a large number of souvenir Laika.

Only in 2008, to the 50th anniversary of Laika's space flight, 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 cosmonaut. In terms of art, this monument is hardly a masterpiece, although those who have known Laika say that the life-size sculpture bears a strong resemblance. A small dog stands on top of a rocket in the shape of a giant open palm pointing up into 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, Belka and Strelka in Soviet schools initiated lessons on how to be kind to dogs on the streets; the price of dog food for mixed breeds in Moscow's main market has doubled, since any mongrel, just a small one, could become an astronaut. Even after Laika's tragic flight, Soviet citizens wrote letters to the government, voluntarily offering themselves to the role of cosmonauts. Requests for permission to fly into orbit increased after the successful landing of Belka and Strelka. Only yesterday these mongrels scurried about 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 you are lucky, then become a hero.

What do we know about the Bion program?

The Bion program, in contrast to the dog program, was not only about the ability to send animals into space, but also about keeping living beings in orbit for a long period of time. It began in the USSR in 1973 and in 1975 the Americans joined it. Project Bion played a special role in calming the ideological confrontation during the Cold War, dissolving the border between "good and evil" in the propaganda of both the US and the USSR.

Proper, "Bion" is a closed life support system (ecosystem), research of this system is still being carried out. The capsule contains a variety of animals: rats, turtles, insects, lower mushrooms, fish eggs, experiments are carried out on them. We will talk in more detail about these programs another time, but the essence, in principle, resembles Soviet experiments with dogs. For one but.

Monkeys were used for the Bion program. Why?

The monkeys were chosen for the Bion program because their physical properties resemble those of humans. The monkeys have their tails cut off so they can squeeze into the capsules. They also had electrodes implanted in the brain. In his memoirs, Oleg Gazenko, who prepared the monkeys for flight, wrote that it was impossible not to feel pity for the monkeys who were lying on the operating tables with wires protruding from their shaved head.

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 Cartoon 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. Upon landing, Cartoon died in the operating room after an adverse reaction to anesthetic. The death of the Cartoon put an end to the monkey space program. The United States withdrew from further involvement, although another satellite with two monkeys was already scheduled to launch. 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 comrade Ivasha were in space for 12 days at the end of 1992. He spent his final days with his offspring at the Adler Institute of Primatology and died an honorary veteran - the last monkey cosmonaut in Russia.

However, in 2008 Roskosmos announced that a monkey from Sukhumi could become the first creature sent to Mars. The provocative announcement sparked protests from the European Space Agency and animal welfare organizations. Similar protests arose when monkeys were proposed to be exposed to prolonged radiation under the Mars 500 program. But the Russian Federation currently does not support the idea of \u200b\u200bsending higher mammals into space, especially dogs and monkeys.

Perhaps Laika still wants to return home.

Based on materials from CollectorsWeekly