On the twelfth of April the whole world celebrates Cosmonautics Day. It was then, back in 1961, that the Soviet pilot-cosmonaut Yuri Alekseevich Gagarin made the first spacewalk.
In order for a person to be able to go into space without fear for their he alth and without endangering their lives, years of scientific research and many practical experiments were needed.
It's no secret that long before people saw the Earth through the porthole of a spaceship, animals had already been in space. Putting furry astronauts on an aircraft that will take them beyond the earth's atmosphere, a person carefully watched how the first animals in space behave 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 aircraft operation, so that in the future it would be possible to launch a person into space without risk to his he alth.
The most common myth
Which animals were the first to be sent into space? To many, this question will seem elementary. Most often, in response, we heard that the first animals to see space were a couple of outbred dogs with the names Belka and Strelka. And, to the surprise of many, we are forced to report that this answer is incorrect.
Who was the first after all?
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. Several next launches of living creatures were with the same outcome. But during these flights, they still managed to collect information that made it possible to improve technology, and the animals that flew into space began to safely return to Earth alive and he althy. In the 60s, they also began to carry out flights with access to orbit.
A total of 32 primates were launched into space as part of US scientific programs between 1948 and 1969.
Space travel dogs
At the same time, in parallel with America, the Soviet Union was conducting its space exploration. For them, dogs were used more often. Do you know what was the first animal to fly into space from a Russian spaceport?
Dezik and Gypsy - these two yard dogs July 22, 1951 went on a ballistic missile tothe upper layers of the atmosphere. Having reached the conditional border with space, which is located at an altitude of 100 km, they safely descended to earth in a special capsule. The flight lasted 20 minutes, and after it both dogs felt great. Exactly one week later, another flight was made, which ended less successfully. Dezik, who was re-sent into space, and another rocket passenger, a dog named Lisa, crashed on landing after the parachute that was supposed to ensure a smooth landing of the capsule did not open.
The first casu alties of the space experts caused the anxiety of the leaders of this experiment. But the research didn't stop. In total, from 1959 to 1960, 29 suborbital flights were carried out, the participants of which were dogs, rabbits, white rats and mice. Some of the first animals in space were under anesthesia during their journey in order to study the physiological state of the body.
Animal flights into orbit
The first flight of a spacecraft into orbit, on board of which there were living beings, was made on November 3, 1957. And if before that the animals were sent in pairs, now a single dog named Laika has become a passenger of the Soviet ship Sputnik-2. Although technically the return of the dog was not possible, but she died during the flight, after 5 hours, having made 4 complete revolutions around the Earth. The cause of her death was severe stress and overheating of the body. Laika is the first animal to fly into space into orbit.and, unfortunately, never returned.
The next time a satellite with live passengers on board was sent into orbit only three years later. It happened on July 28, 1960. The flight was also unsuccessful, the spacecraft exploded 38 seconds after the engines were started. Astronaut dogs Lisichka and Chaika died in this experiment.
And on August 19, 1960, the Sputnik-5 spacecraft went into orbit, made 17 orbits around the Earth and landed successfully. All this time, the well-known Belka and Strelka were on board. After several more similar successful flights were made in March 1961, it was decided to send the first man into space.
Selection of animals for experiments in space
The first animals in space turned out to be for a reason, they were carefully selected and underwent special training before the flight. Interestingly, when selecting dogs for participation in flights, they preferred yard, outbred individuals, since they are physically more resilient.
Orbital flights required he althy dogs weighing no more than six kilograms and up to 35 cm tall, between the ages of two and six years. It was most convenient to place sensors that read information on short-haired animals.
Before the flight, dogs were taught to be in closed chambers imitating the cabin of a spacecraft, not to be afraid of loud sounds and vibrations, to eat using a special apparatus that feeds food intoweightlessness.
Interesting facts about the first flight of Belka and Strelka into orbit
They say that the flight of Belka 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 start of the experiment, an instruction came to replace foreign nicknames with Soviet ones, and now the first animals in space that have been in orbit and returned safely to Earth, known to us under the names Strelka and Belka.
Dogs were selected from a large number of applicants, but, in addition to the basic physical parameters, coat color was important. Light-colored animals had an advantage, which made it easier to observe them through monitors. The attractiveness of the dogs was also an important factor, since if the experiment was successful, they would certainly be presented to the general public.
Although the estimated duration of the flight of Belka and Strelka was one day, during training and testing, the animals were in conditions close to flight for up to eight days.
During the flight, the life support system worked on board, and with the help of a special apparatus, food and water were supplied to the dogs in weightless conditions. In general, the animals felt good, and only during 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 space by animals, it became clear that a person will also be able to go beyond the earth's atmosphere and returnalive and well.
Other animals that have been in space
Besides primates and dogs, other animals, such as cats, turtles, frogs, snails, rabbits, mice, cockroaches, newts, and even some species of fish, have been outside the earth's atmosphere. Many will be interested to know that on March 22, 1990, a quail egg hatched on the Mir spacecraft. This is the first fact of the birth of a living being in space.
Can animals breed in space?
But the fact that a chick can develop and hatch in space conditions in a previously fertilized egg does not mean that animals and plants in space can reproduce. NASA scientists have proven that cosmic radiation adversely affects the reproductive function of living beings. Sex cells due to the numerous streams of protons in outer space cease to perform their function. This makes conception impossible. Also, during the experiments, it was not possible to save already conceived embryos in space conditions. They immediately stopped developing and died.
