Belka and Strelka 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 fly into orbit was Laika. But she died due to overheating right in the spaceship. The first dogs in space, Belka and Strelka, not only survived the flight perfectly, but also returned to Earth alive.
First the flies
And yet, to be absolutely precise, the first ones who dared to send into space were … fruit flies. They were launched into orbit back in 1935. But these living beings could do little to help the scientists. It was necessary to send a warm-blooded creature into orbit in order to observe how the body would behave under weightlessness and significant overloads.
Tough requirements
Belka and Strelka are the first dogs in space, photos of which have spread all over the world's newspapers and magazines. But the army of astronaut dogs was very large, and before launching them into orbit, they all underwent a thorough selection.
The requirements were tough: the body weight of the animal mustwas 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.
Purebred dogs were not suitable for the role of astronauts - not only did many of them have a pampered character, they were also very picky in food. After research, scientists made such a decision - outbred stray dogs, which are kept in kennels, should be sent into space. It was they who met all the requirements.
So Belka and Strelka, the first dogs in space, although they did not have an excellent pedigree, entered the history of world cosmonautics.
Beautiful appearance for astronauts
Take this fact into account before the launch. After all, four-legged cosmonauts 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.
Benevolent, smart and friendly - this is how the first dogs in space Belka and Strelka should have looked. Interesting facts from history - instead of Strelka, a completely different dog was prepared for flight. But she had a slight curvature of her paws. And at the very last stage, she was rejected only because of this small flaw.
Laika's sad fate
Although many of us have stuck in our minds that Belka and Strelka were the first dogs in space, yet they were not pioneers. The very first dog that flew intospace, was Laika. She, together with a manned vehicle, made 4 orbits around the globe. But on the fifth orbit, the animal could not withstand the overload and died from overheating. This fact was recorded by instruments that transmitted information about the death of the "pilot" to the mission control center. The satellite did not descend to Earth. He made another 2370 orbital revolutions, and then, after 5 months, burned up in the atmosphere.
They came back alive
Before the flight of Belka and Strelka, 18 dogs flew into space. All of them died - some from stress, some from overheating, some from strong overloads. The first dogs in space, Belka and Strelka, whose breed is popularly characterized by the apt word "yard terrier", returned to Earth alive. That is why they entered world history as the first space explorers.
They became so popular that they were invited to various events, and thousands of people dreamed of being photographed with this living legend. True, everyone was warned that dogs could bite if excessive interest was shown in them. After all, they knew how not only to train well, but also to stand up for themselves.
Different characters
Even during training, when the dogs sat in centrifuges, were tested on shakers and in closed enclaves, the researchers noticed that the character of the "participants" of the duet is different.
Strelka was more cautious and alert, but Belka seemed to care. When they entered weightlessness, Strelka kept looking around,as if not understanding what was happening to her.
Squirrel behaved naturally and showed curiosity. She turned around and barked merrily. By the way, at the time of the start, both dogs barked loudly. Scientists took this signal as a good sign. After all, Laika howled during the launch of the manned vehicle, as if anticipating her death.
Life after the flight
In total, Belka and Strelka were in zero gravity for less than a day - 15 hours and 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 did not fly into space alone. Together with them, a whole living corner went into orbit: 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 body, are there any failures in some organs. Interested in the question and whether these dogs can give offspring? And Arrow did not disappoint. Twice she brought offspring, and each puppy was worth its weight in gold. Many people around the globe wanted to have dogs in the house whose parents had been in space. It is known that the General Secretary of the CPSU Nikita Khrushchev personally presented one of the puppies to Jacqueline Kennedy.
From doubles to heroes
In fact, it was planned to send Chaika and Chanterelle first into space on the Vostok satellite. Alas, the rocket with these four-legged astronauts exploded inair without entering orbit.
Therefore, the launch of Belka and Strelka into space was strictly classified. And only after a safe landing, this historical fact, when the dogs returned to Earth alive, was widely publicized. And the whole world knows today: Belka and Strelka are the first sentient beings who traveled into space and returned alive.
