Dogs in space: animal celebrities with list and film tips
The female dog Laika was the first animal in Earth orbit in 1957 – she died after a few hours. Belka and Strelka survived as the first animals on a space mission in 1960.
Source: legacy_text Content
On 3 November 1957, the female dog Laika was launched as the first animal into Earth orbit. She never returned. Three years later, Belka and Strelka made the same journey and landed safely in the Kazakh steppe.
Why did the Soviets send dogs into space?
The Soviet Union needed data on the survival chances of living beings in space. Sending humans into space was too risky, so they tested with dogs.
Stray dogs from Moscow were perfect: they were hardened, small and easy to train. The scientists got them used to tight spaces and loud noises, a brutal training for an experiment with an uncertain outcome.
What happened to Laika in space?
Laika died a few hours after launch from overheating. The Soviet government concealed this for decades.
Officially, she was supposed to survive in space for a week before the poison in her food took effect. In reality, the capsule’s temperature control failed after just four Earth orbits. Laika died painfully at over 40 degrees Celsius.
It was not until 2002 that the involved scientist Dimitri Malashenkov admitted the truth: “The more time passed, the more I regretted it. We should not have sacrificed the dog’s life.”
How did Belka and Strelka survive their mission?
On 19 August 1960, the female dogs Belka and Strelka launched with improved technology. This time, everything worked.
After 18 orbits around the Earth, their capsule landed as planned. Both dogs jumped out healthy, together with 40 mice, two rats and various plants. The mission proved that living beings can survive in space and return to Earth.
Strelka later had six puppies. One of them was given by Nikita Khrushchev to the daughter of US President Kennedy.
Which other animals flew into space?
Space animal experiments began as early as 1947 with fruit flies. Here are the pioneers:
- 1949: Albert II (rhesus monkey) – first mammal in space
- 1957: Laika (female dog) – first animal in Earth orbit
- 1959: Able and Baker (monkeys) – first animals to survive the flight
- 1960: Belka and Strelka (female dogs) – first successful return
- 1961: Ham (chimpanzee) – first complex tasks in space
Which films show dogs in space?
Hollywood discovered the topic for itself, with varying success:
Space Dogs (2019): Documentary about Laika’s fate. She returns as a ghost and observes Moscow street dogs. Gloomy, but honest.
Space Dogs (2010): Russian animated film about Belka and Strelka. Child-friendly and optimistic, the two do survive after all.
Space Buddies (2009): Disney comedy. Five puppies accidentally land in space. Pure entertainment without historical reference.
Were there ethical alternatives to the animal experiments?
No. In 1957, no technology existed that could simulate vital functions in space.
Why dogs instead of monkeys?
Soviet dogs were smaller, lighter and more cost-effective. American programmes relied on monkeys because they are more similar to humans.
Are there still animal experiments in spaceflight today?
Yes, but only for specific research. Mice and fruit flies fly to the International Space Station to study bone loss and muscle atrophy.