Strelka Space Dog: The First Canine Cosmonauts

Strelka Space Dog was a Soviet space dog who became an international celebrity after her historic spaceflight in 1960. She was one of a group of dogs who were launched into space to test the safety of space travel for living organisms.

The Soviet space program was looking for a way to test the safety of space travel for living organisms before sending humans into space. Strelka was chosen for her calm temperament and small size, which made her an ideal candidate for space travel.

Strelka was launched into space on August 19, 1960, aboard the Sputnik 5 spacecraft. She was accompanied by three other dogs, including Pchelka, Muska, and Chernushka.

Readers also liked: Soviet Space Dogs

Standing still for long periods of time was a crucial part of the training for the space dogs.

This exercise helped them get used to the confined spaces they would be in during the mission.

Dogs were flown to an altitude of 100 km on board 15 scientific flights on R-1 rockets from 1951 to 1956.

These flights were made to test the safety of space travel for living organisms. The dogs wore pressure suits with acrylic glass bubble helmets to protect them from the extreme conditions of space.

Between 1957 and 1960, 11 flights with dogs were made on the R-2A series, which flew to about 200 km.

Otvazhnaya and Snezhinka were a dynamic duo in the early spaceflight era. Otvazhnaya made a flight on 2 July 1959.

Snezhinka was a talented canine cosmonaut who accompanied Otvazhnaya on multiple flights. She was a part of the historic mission that included a rabbit named Marfusha.

Otvazhnaya went on to make a total of 6 flights between 1959 and 1960.

Albina and Tsyganka made a notable flight on June 7, 1958, where they were ejected from their capsule at an altitude of 85 km (53 mi) and landed safely.

Albina was one of the dogs shortlisted for Sputnik 2, but never flew in orbit.

The duo's flight was a significant achievement in the early days of space exploration.

Damka and Krasavka were two dogs that were part of the Vostok programme's orbital flight on December 22, 1960.

The upper-stage rocket failed, causing the craft to re-enter the atmosphere after reaching a sub-orbital apogee of 214 km.

The dogs were initially thought to be dead when the capsule was recovered, but they were surprisingly found alive and barking inside.

The dogs were wrapped in sheepskin coats and flown to Moscow, where they were cared for by their handlers.

Krasavka, also known as Kometka or Zhulka, was adopted by Oleg Gazenko, a leading Soviet scientist, and went on to have puppies and live with his family for 14 years.

The incident was initially kept secret, but it's a testament to the dedication and care of the handlers and scientists involved in the programme.

Laika was a Soviet space dog who flew to space on Sputnik 2 on November 3, 1957.

Laika, also known as Zhuchka and Limonchik, became the first Earth-born creature to orbit the planet, beating out a 1949 mission that sent a rhesus macaque named Albert II into space.

You might enjoy: Laika Space Dog Breed

Laika's true cause of death wasn't made public until October 2002, when officials revealed that she died from stress and overheating, not oxygen deprivation as previously reported.

The mission was met with criticism, with Oleg Gazenko, a senior Soviet scientist, later stating that they didn't learn enough from the mission to justify Laika's death.

Worth a look: Laika the Space Dog Body

Belka, the brave space squirrel, was the first higher living organism to survive orbit in outer space. She, along with her companion Strelka, spent a day in space aboard Korabl-Sputnik 2 on 19 August 1960.

Belka was quite the foodie, wolfing down her space dog food with delight. The food resembled the Russian dish kholodets, which provided her with the necessary fluids.

Belka's vitals were all normal during her time in space, but she did experience some discomfort during the fourth circumnavigation of the globe. She tried to wriggle out of her supports and began to throw up.

After the successful mission, Belka and Strelka were honorably discharged and allowed to enter retirement, living at the Institute to a respectable old age. They were the most popular animals in the Soviet Union in the 1960s, with Belka's likeness adorning banners, posters, marquees, postcards, and calendars.

Belka's legacy lived on through her descendants, including six healthy pups born several months after the flight.

Pchyolka and Mushka were two animals that went to space on December 1, 1960, aboard Korabl-Sputnik-3 (Sputnik 6).

They spent a day in orbit with other animals, plants, and insects.

Their spacecraft was intentionally destroyed by remote self-destruct to prevent foreign powers from inspecting the capsule due to a reentry error.

Mushka was originally trained for Sputnik 2 but didn't fly on it because she refused to eat properly during ground tests.

Veterok and Ugolyok, two Soviet space dogs, set a record for the longest spaceflight by dogs, lasting 21 days in orbit. They were launched on February 22, 1966, and landed on March 16 of the same year.

Their spaceflight was a groundbreaking achievement, surpassing the duration of human spaceflights until Soyuz 11 in June 1971. The dogs experienced cardiovascular deconditioning, dehydration, weight loss, and loss of muscle and coordination, but they made a full recovery within several weeks.

The dogs' recovery was a testament to their resilience, and they showed no long-term issues from their spaceflight.

Veterok and Ugolyok were launched on 22 February 1966 on board Cosmos 110. They spent an impressive 21 days in orbit before landing on 16 March.

Their spaceflight was record-breaking, and it wasn't until Soyuz 11 in June 1971 that humans surpassed this duration. This achievement still stands as the longest spaceflight by dogs.

The two dogs experienced "cardiovascular deconditioning" with dehydration, weight loss, loss of muscle, and coordination issues. They took several weeks to fully recover, but showed no long-term issues.

The first televised broadcast from space was transmitted during this mission, with a short delay between the spaceship and the Earth-based space center.

During takeoff, the dogs experienced higher heart rates and breathing, but once the ship reached orbit, their vitals returned to normal.

The food provided for the dogs was a Russian meat and gelatin dish called kholodets, which also helped them stay hydrated.

The dogs' food was stored in tubs attached underneath their seats, and a signal opened the containers when it was time to eat.

Belka became agitated during the fourth circumnavigation of the globe, trying to wriggle out of her supports and vomiting.

After the 17th loop, the dogs were returned to Earth successfully, having spent around 27 hours in orbit.

The dogs' condition was good upon their return, with one team member even letting them go for a run around the steppe.