Laika the Space Dog: The Stray Who Beat Humans Into Orbit
Summary
On 3 November 1957, 69 years ago today, the Soviet Union launched Laika the space dog from the Baikonur Cosmodrome. She became the first living creature to orbit Earth. Scientists knew it was a one-way trip. A scientist’s son, Viktor Yazdovsky, later recalled playing with her before the launch.
Key Highlights
- Laika was a Moscow stray, launched a month after Sputnik I on 4 October 1957.
- Soviet scientists then had no way to bring living creatures back from orbit.
- Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev wanted a launch ready for the revolution’s 40th anniversary on 7 November.
- Chief designer Sergei Korolev led the effort.
What Happened?
Before the first human spaceflights, Soviet scientists searched Moscow’s streets for stray mongrels and trained female dogs for a dangerous journey. Laika the space dog was the one launched. Yazdovsky, whose father Vladimir ran the medical side of the Soviet space programme, told the BBC’s Witness History in 2017 that everyone knew she would not return. He remembered Laika as patient, affectionate and clever. His father brought her to the family’s home near Moscow shortly before launch, so she could experience life at home.
Why is it Important?
The Cold War space race set the pace. After Sputnik I, engineer Georgi Grechko said Khrushchev ordered something new for 7 November. Korolev and his team had only a few weeks. Yazdovsky said that is why not everything could be thought through.
Impact and Implications
Korolev had reverse-engineered Germany’s V2 rockets after World War Two. His R-7 Semyorka launched successfully in August 1957 as the first intercontinental ballistic missile. His daughter Natalya Koroleva told the BBC in 2019 that he had dreamed of reaching space since childhood. Laika’s flight grew out of a political deadline and a long-held engineering ambition. Her death is why the mission is remembered as tragic.
What Happens Next?
No new development is expected. The anniversary brings the story back, along with the first-hand accounts the BBC recorded. Laika the space dog remains one of the best-known figures of the Soviet space programme.
