On April 12, the whole world celebrates Cosmonautics Day. It was then, in the distant 1961, the first access to outer space was made by the Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Alekseevich Gagarin.
In order for a person to be able to go into space without fearing for his health and without endangering his life, years of scientific research and many practical experiments were needed.
It is no secret to anyone that long before people saw the Earth through the porthole of a spaceship, animals had already visited space. Putting furry astronauts on an aircraft that takes them beyond the limits of the Earth’s atmosphere, a man carefully watched how the first animals behave in space and how they feel. Special equipment made it possible to monitor even minor changes in the functioning of their body systems. These data made it possible to improve the technology of the aircraft, so that in the future it would be possible to launch a person into space without risk to his health.
The most common myth
What animals were sent to space the very first? To many such a question would seem elementary. Most often, in response, we heard that the first animals to see the cosmos were a couple of purebred dogs with the names Belka and Strelka. And, to the surprise of many, we are forced to report that this answer is incorrect.
But who was still the first?
At the initial stages of research, American scientists sent primates into space. These animals were chosen because of their physiological proximity to humans.
The first such suborbital flight was carried out by NASA specialists on June 11, 1948. Unfortunately, during this experiment, the monkey did not survive. The next few launches of living things were the same. But during these flights, it was still possible to collect information that allowed us to improve technologies, and the animals that flew into space began to safely return to Earth alive and healthy. In the 60s, flights also started to enter orbit.
In total, in the framework of scientific programs conducted by the United States between 1948 and 1969, 32 primates were launched into space.
Space travel dogs
At the same time, in parallel with America, the Soviet Union conducted its space exploration. Dogs were more often used for them. Do you know which first animal flew into space from a Russian spaceport?
Desik and Gypsy - these two domestic dogs on July 22, 1951 went on a ballistic missile to the upper atmosphere. Having reached the conditional border with space, which is located at an altitude of 100 km, they safely landed on the ground in a special capsule. The flight lasted 20 minutes, and after it both dogs felt excellent. Exactly a week later, another flight was completed, which ended less successfully. Desic, re-sent into space, and another rocket passenger, a dog named Fox, crashed on landing, as the parachute, which was supposed to ensure a smooth landing of the capsule, did not open.
The first victims of space experts aroused the anxiety of the leaders of this experiment. But research has not stopped. In total, from 1959 to 1960, 29 suborbital flights were carried out, in which dogs, rabbits, white rats and mice became. Some of the first animals in space during their journey were under anesthesia in order to study the physiological state of the body.
Flight of animals into orbit
The first flight of the spacecraft with access to orbit, on board which were living beings, was carried out on November 3, 1957. And if before this animals were sent in pairs, now the passenger of the Soviet ship Sputnik-2 is the only dog named Laika. Although technically the return of the dog was not possible, but she died during the flight, after 5 hours, having made 4 full turns around the Earth. The cause of her death was severe stress and overheating of the body. It is Laika that is the first animal to fly into space into orbit and, unfortunately, has not returned.
The next time the satellite with live passengers on board was sent into orbit only three years later. This happened on July 28, 1960. The flight was also unsuccessful, the spacecraft exploded 38 seconds after the engines started. In this experiment , the dogs-cosmonauts Lysychka and Seagull died .
And on August 19, 1960, the Sputnik-5 spacecraft entered orbit, made 17 orbits around the Earth and successfully landed. All this time on board were the well-known Belka and Strelka. After making several more such successful flights in March 1961, it was decided to send the first man into space.
The selection of animals for experiments in space
The first animals in space were not just, they were carefully selected and underwent special training before the flight. It is interesting that, selecting dogs for participation in flights, they preferred yard, outbred individuals, since they are physically more resilient.
For orbital flights, healthy dogs were required weighing no more than six kilograms and growing to 35 cm, aged two to six years. It was most convenient to place sensors that read information on short-haired animals.
Before the flight, the dogs were taught to stay in closed chambers that simulate the spacecraft’s cockpit, not to be afraid of loud sounds and vibrations, to eat using a special apparatus that serves food in zero gravity.
Interesting facts about the first flight of Squirrel and Arrow into orbit
It is said that the flight of Squirrels and Strelka into space opened the way for people to the stars.
Few people know that in fact these cute dogs were called Albina and Marquise, but before the experiment began, they were instructed to replace the foreign nicknames with Soviet ones, and now the first animals in space that have been in orbit and safely returned to Earth are familiar to us under the names of Strelka and squirrel.
Dogs were chosen from a large number of applicants, but, in addition to the main physical parameters, coat color was important. The animals had the advantage of light color, which facilitated the observation of them through monitors. An important factor was the attractiveness of dogs, since if the experiment were successful, they would have certainly been introduced to the general public.
Although the estimated duration of the flight of Belka and Strelka was one day, the animals were in training and testing conditions close to the flight for up to eight days.
During the flight , the life support system worked on board , and with the help of a special apparatus, the dogs were given food and water in zero gravity conditions. In general, the animals felt good, and only at the time of the launch of the rocket did they have a rapid heartbeat. This figure returned to normal when the spacecraft reached orbit.
After the successful exploration of outer space by animals, it became clear - a person will also be able to visit outside the atmosphere of the earth and return alive and unharmed.
Other animals in space
In addition to primates and dogs, other animals, such as cats, turtles, frogs, snails, rabbits, mice, cockroaches, newts and even some species of fish, also traveled outside the earth's atmosphere. Many will be interested to know that on March 22, 1990, a chick from a quail egg was able to hatch on the Mir spaceship. This is the first fact of the birth of a living creature in space.
Can animals reproduce in space?
But the fact that in a previously fertilized egg a nestling can develop and hatch under space conditions does not mean that animals and plants in space can reproduce. NASA scientists have proved that cosmic radiation adversely affects the reproductive function of living things. Because of the numerous streams of protons in outer space, germ cells cease to fulfill their function. Conception in this case becomes impossible. Also, in the course of the experiments, it was not possible to preserve already born embryos in space. They immediately ceased to develop and perished.