Do Dogs Really Fly?
Yes, it is true that dogs fly, or at least they did in the 1950s. The USSR (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics) and the United States sent many creatures into space before they ventured to send a human. In addition to dogs, monkeys, chimpanzees, rabbits, rats, mice, and fruit flies have all made the journey. After the successful launch of the first man-made satellite, Sputnik 1 on October 4, 
1957, the USSR launched Sputnik 2. Inside was the first live space traveler, Laika, a husky. Laika (whose name means "barker" in Russian) traveled in a spacecraft with life-support systems and padded walls. She had access to food and water, and scientists reported that she adapted well to weightlessness. However, Sputnik 2 was not designed to return safely to Earth, so Laika did not survive her flight. There is a monument to fallen cosmonauts in Star City, Russia, which includes an image of Laika peeking out from behind the cosmonauts. To see the story of Laika and many Soviet and American animals, click here. After more experimental flights, the Soviets launched two more dogs on Augu
st 19, 1960. Their names were Belka (Squirrel) and
Strelka (Little Arrow). Also on the passenger list were 40 mice, 2 rats, a rabbit, and 15 containers of fruit flies. The space travelers spent one day in orbit, then returned safely to Earth. Strelka eventually had puppies and the Soviets sent one to American President John F. Kennedy. To read the amusing and exciting story of the space flight of little Belka and Strelka, check out "Pupniks: The Story of Two Space Dogs" by Ruth Lubka. Click here to get the book from Amazon.com.
1957, the USSR launched Sputnik 2. Inside was the first live space traveler, Laika, a husky. Laika (whose name means "barker" in Russian) traveled in a spacecraft with life-support systems and padded walls. She had access to food and water, and scientists reported that she adapted well to weightlessness. However, Sputnik 2 was not designed to return safely to Earth, so Laika did not survive her flight. There is a monument to fallen cosmonauts in Star City, Russia, which includes an image of Laika peeking out from behind the cosmonauts. To see the story of Laika and many Soviet and American animals, click here. After more experimental flights, the Soviets launched two more dogs on Augu
st 19, 1960. Their names were Belka (Squirrel) and
Strelka (Little Arrow). Also on the passenger list were 40 mice, 2 rats, a rabbit, and 15 containers of fruit flies. The space travelers spent one day in orbit, then returned safely to Earth. Strelka eventually had puppies and the Soviets sent one to American President John F. Kennedy. To read the amusing and exciting story of the space flight of little Belka and Strelka, check out "Pupniks: The Story of Two Space Dogs" by Ruth Lubka. Click here to get the book from Amazon.com.
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