Question

Answer the following questions.
1. Why has Laika’s story been so famous around the world?
2. Why did the Soviet Union and United States want
to get to space first?
3. How many ships had Soviets sent to space before
the first man went?
4. What really happened to Laika?

Answer 1

Explanation: Laika`s reason of becoming famous.

• Laika was a stray dog of Moscow, USSR (RUSSIA)
• In 1957 Laika became the world’s first animal to orbit the Earth.
• She undertook the journey on Sputnik 2 on 3rd November 1957.
• It was a mission which established once again the supremacy of Soviets over the Americans in the space program during the initial years of the space competition.
• The mission proved to be a major breakthrough in space exploration.
• Laika soon became an international figure of triumph against all odds.

Laika`s fate after the launch of Sputnik 2

• Laika was put on Sputnik 2 to orbit the Earth.
• It was not clear how she died.
• There were several stories to her death.
• Initially the Soviet officials tried to cover up her death by lying about the cause, time and manner of her demise.
• They claimed that she died painlessly many days after the launch of Sputnik 2.
• However others claimed that she lived for a week.
• It was only in 2002 that Dimitri Malashenkov the scientist of Sputnik 2 admitted that the dog died while on her way to the fourth circuit around the Earth.
• This was about five to seven hours after Sputnik`s launch.
• During the launch her heart was beating at a rate which was triple to the normal rate.
• Laika after overcoming the initial stress of launch was once again exposed to the heat and humidity which was more than 100 degree Fahrenheit which eventually led to her death.

Hope this helps.

Answer 2

Laika was sent to space as an experimental test to assume whether it can bear the harsh conditions of space such as hunger and cold temperatures.

Explanation:

Why has Laika’s story been so famous around the world?

• Laika is the name of a young dog who was sent to space along with the other two dogs.
• It was sent to space as an experimental test to assume whether it can bear the harsh conditions of space such as hunger and cold temperatures.
• They were kept in small cages and were trained to feed on a nutritious gel.
• The dog's original name was Kudryavka and Laika became its international name.