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1. Robert McNees (mcnees@mastodon.social)'s status on Friday, 03-Nov-2023 17:39:29 UTC Robert McNees

   The very good girl Laika, a scrappy three-year-old stray from Moscow, was sent into space aboard Sputnik II #OTD in 1957.

   The first animal to orbit Earth, Laika became a national hero. This was cold comfort, since the mission wasn’t designed to return her to Earth.

   • Robert McNees (mcnees@mastodon.social)'s status on Friday, 03-Nov-2023 17:42:18 UTC Robert McNees

     in reply to

     The press referred to Laika as "Muttnik."

     Here she is with Mushka and Albina, who were also trained for the mission. Mushka might have gone to space instead of Laika, but she wasn't eating properly.

   • Robert McNees (mcnees@mastodon.social)'s status on Friday, 03-Nov-2023 17:43:23 UTC Robert McNees

     in reply to

     The plan was to give Laika a painless, fast-acting poison after about a week in orbit. This was the official Soviet account for several years afterward. But it wasn't true. Apparently, Laika died of overheating and asphyxiation somewhere between 6 hours to 4 days after takeoff.

     Oleg Gazenko was the scientist who selected and trained Laika. Many years later, he said "The more time passes, the more I'm sorry about it. We did not learn enough from the mission to justify the death of the dog."

   • Robert McNees (mcnees@mastodon.social)'s status on Friday, 03-Nov-2023 17:43:56 UTC Robert McNees

     in reply to

     Anyway, Laika and her colleagues got a pretty bad deal.

     Canes itur ad astra 🐕🚀🌌

   • simonbp (simonbp@social.linux.pizza)'s status on Friday, 03-Nov-2023 18:21:22 UTC simonbp

     in reply to

     @mcnees Some of her colleagues. Most of the Soviet space dogs survived, and only Laika was ever sent on what was supposed to be a one way trip.

     My favorite is ZIB (Замена Исчезнувшему Бобику, Zamena Ischeznuvshemu Bobiku, Substitute for Missing Bobik). Bobik ran away days before her suborbital flight in 1951, so ZIB was literally the first stray dog they caught hanging around the barracks, and successfully flew to 100 km and was safely recovered.