Science
Humanity Failed Laika — The Space Dog
A story about Laika, who perished in the space mission.
Laika is derived from the Russian-language word for “bark”.
Laika was a stray dog, wandering the streets of Moscow with nowhere to call home. But in 1957, she was chosen to become the first animal to orbit the Earth. It was a mission that would make history, but it would also lead to controversy and criticism for the way humans failed Laika and exploited her.
The Cold War was in full swing, and the Soviet Union and the United States were engaged in a fierce competition for technological superiority. Space exploration was a critical part of that competition, and the Soviets were determined to be the first to launch an animal into orbit.
Suitable Candidate
As part of their mission, they needed to select an animal capable of handling the stress and rigors of space travel.
Laika being a stray dog was selected as the ideal candidate for the mission as she was small enough to fit into the capsule and her temperament made her more likely to handle the stress of the mission.
Additionally being a stray dog, she was more resilient to the harsh conditions of space travel than pedigree dogs.
