On this day in 1957 Sputnik 2 was the second spacecraft launched into Earth orbit, and the first to carry a living animal - a dog named Laika.
It was a 4 meter high cone-shaped capsule with a base diameter of 2 meters. It contained several compartments for radio transmitters, a telemetry system, a programming unit, regeneration and temperature control system for the cabin, and scientific instruments. A separate sealed cabin contained Laika.

Laika was a female part-Samoyed terrier originally named Kudryavka (Little Curly) but later renamed Laika ("Barker"). She weighed about 6 kg. The pressurized cabin on Sputnik 2 allowed enough room for her to lie down or stand and was padded. An air regeneration system provided oxygen; food and water were dispensed in a gelatinized form. Laika was fitted with a harness, a bag to collect waste, and electrodes to monitor vital signs. The early telemetry indicated Laika was agitated but eating her food. There was no capability of returning a payload safely to Earth at this time, so it was planned that Laika would be euthanized with a poisoned serving of food after about 10 days of orbiting the Earth. However, in October 2002 it was revealed by Russian sources that Laika had already died after a few hours from overheating and stress. The mission provided scientists with the first data on the behavior of a living organism in the space environment.

yes turly a dogs life.

Thanks little guy!

Awe ... that's such a sad story

Do you know if the capsule re-entered or is she still in orbit??
Peter

Do you know if the capsule re-entered or is she still in orbit??
Peter

According to wikipedia:

The orbit of Sputnik 2 decayed and it reentered Earth's atmosphere on 14 April 1958 after 162 days in orbit.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sputnik_2

Have a look at this link -- ham.space.umn.edu/kris/animals.html -- for other non-human space travellers. This link, and many more, are currently on the SDAS web site at www.southdublinastronomy.org/wiki/Links Do drop by and have a look at what we've put up so far (still a work in progress).

John