Squirrel and Arrow are the first dogs in space. This statement has already become an axiom, although in fact there is a historical untruth here. The first dog to enter orbit was Laika. But she died due to overheating right in the spaceship. The first dogs in space, Squirrel and Strelka, not only perfectly survived the flight, but also returned to Earth alive.
In the beginning - flies
And yet, to be absolutely precise, the first who ventured to send into space were ... Drosophila flies. They were launched into orbit back in 1935. But these living things could help little scientists. It was necessary to send a warm-blooded creature into orbit in order to observe how the body will behave under zero gravity and significant overloads.
Strict requirements
Squirrel and Strelka - the first dogs in space, whose photos flew around all the world's newspapers and magazines. But the army of astronaut dogs was very large, and before launching them into orbit, they all passed a careful selection.
The requirements were strict: the animal's body weight should be no more than 7 kilograms, and growth should not exceed 35 centimeters. In addition, they had to have a calm and balanced character, high endurance and extremely low anxiety.
Thoroughbred dogs were not suitable for the role of astronauts - not only did many of them have a coddled character, they were also distinguished by great legibility in food. After research, scientists made this decision - it is necessary to send outbred stray dogs that are kept in kennels to space. They met all the requirements.
So Squirrel and Strelka, the first dogs in space, although they did not have an excellent pedigree, they went down in the history of world cosmonautics.
Beautiful appearance for astronauts
Considered before the launch, and such a fact. After all, four-legged astronauts would have to pose a lot for photographers and cameramen on the eve of the flight and especially after it. So good looks also played a big role in the selection of candidates.
Friendly, smart and affable - that was how the first dogs in space Squirrel and Strelka should have looked. Interesting facts from history - instead of Strelka, a completely different dog was prepared for the flight. But she had a slight curvature of her paws. And at the very last stage, it was rejected only because of this small flaw.
Sad fate of Laika
Although many of us were conscious that Squirrel and Strelka were the first dogs in space, still they were not pioneers. The very first dog to fly into space was Laika. She, together with the manned vehicle, made 4 turns around the globe. But in the fifth round, the animal could not withstand overloads and died from overheating. This fact was recorded by instruments that transmitted information and the death of the “pilot” to the flight control center. The satellite did not descend to Earth. He made another 2370 orbital turns, and then, after 5 months, burned out in the atmosphere.
They came back alive
Before the flight of Squirrel and Strelka, 18 dogs flew into space . All of them died - some from stress, some from overheating, some from severe overloads. The first dogs in space, Belka and Strelka, whose breed is popularly characterized by the well-known word "dvorterrier", returned to Earth alive. That is why they went down in world history as the first space explorers.
They became so popular that they began to be invited to various events, and thousands of people dreamed of taking pictures with this living legend. True, everyone was warned that dogs could bite if they showed excessive interest. After all, they knew how not only to train well, but also to stand up for themselves.
Different tempers
Even during training, when the dogs were sitting in centrifuges, tested on vibration stands and in enclosed enclaves, the researchers noticed that the character of the “participants” of the duet was different.
The arrow was more circumspect and wary, and Squirrel seemed to have nothing at all. When they entered zero gravity, Strelka kept looking around, as if not understanding what was happening to her.
The squirrel behaved naturally and showed curiosity. She spun around and barked cheerfully. By the way, at the time of start, both dogs barked awkwardly. Scientists took this signal as a good sign. After all, Laika howled during the launch of the manned vehicle, as if anticipating his death.
Life after the flight
In total, Belka and Strelka were in zero gravity for less than a day - 15 hours 44 minutes. It happened on August 19, 1960. They landed 10 kilometers from the planned point, but most importantly - they survived! By the way, Belka and Strelka were not alone in space. A whole living corner went into orbit with them: several mice, insects, as well as some plants, fungi and seeds.
Scientists carefully examined animals not only before the flight, but also after it. Did weightlessness affect their bodies, are there any failures in some organs. I was also interested in the question of whether these dogs will be able to give offspring? And Arrow did not fail. Twice she brought posterity, and each puppy was worth its weight in gold. Many people on the globe wanted to have dogs in their house whose parents traveled to outer space. It is known that the CPSU General Secretary Nikita Khrushchev personally gave one of the puppies Jacqueline Kennedy.
From doubles to heroes
In fact, it was planned to send Seagull and Chanterelle to the first in space on the satellite ship Vostok. Alas, a rocket with these four-legged astronauts exploded in the air without entering orbit.
Therefore, the launch into space of Squirrel and Strelka was strictly classified. And only after a successful landing, this historical fact, when the dogs returned to Earth alive, was widely publicized. And the whole world today knows: Squirrel and Strelka are the first intelligent creatures that have traveled into space and returned alive.