Question by jennywren: What was the name of the dog that Russia sent into space on Sputnik?
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Answer by tham153
Laika, Sputnik 2, launched Nov. 3, 1957
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Russian Life & People Digest
The Dark Side says
Laika – which is Russian for "barker". This is also the name of a Russian breed of hunting dog, but is often used as a dog's name as well as it was in this case – Laika was a stray mongrel found on the streets of Moscow and she may have been partly the Laika breed or something similar.
Keith says
Sputnik 2 launched on November 3, 1957 and carried a mongrel dog named Laika (Barker in Russian) on a life-support system. Laika also was known as Kudryavka (Little Curly in Russian). The American press nicknamed the dog Muttnik. Laika was the first dog to make an orbital flight.
The first dogs launched were Albina and Tsyganka. Both were sub orbital flights (an altitude of 53 miles) and both returned to earth safely.
In all, the Russians sent many dogs into space. Some returned safely, but Sputnik 2 with Laika was was not designed to be recovered.
Manny L says
Laika died a few hours after launch, presumably from stress and overheating, probably due to a malfunction in the thermal control system. The true cause and time of her death was not made public until 2002.
Sputnik 2 was not designed to be retrievable.
no one says
Laika.
Henry says
Lika
OOPS, got the spelling wrong. Tham is right.