Dogs who led the space race
Source: Agencies |
August 20, 2010, Friday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
RUSSIA remembered two unlikely national heroes yesterday - a pair of skinny street mutts who moved the Soviet Union into the lead of the space race when they became the first living creatures to circle the Earth and come back alive.
The August 19, 1960 mission by Belka and Strelka was a key step in preparations for the flight of Yuri Gagarin, who became the first man in space about a year later.
It showcased the Soviet lead in space exploration and turned the two dogs into global celebrities.
By 1960, Soviet space engineers had designed a returnable spacecraft capable of carrying a human into orbit, but needed to run an extensive program of animal tests first.
The August 19, 1960 mission by Belka and Strelka was a key step in preparations for the flight of Yuri Gagarin, who became the first man in space about a year later.
It showcased the Soviet lead in space exploration and turned the two dogs into global celebrities.
By 1960, Soviet space engineers had designed a returnable spacecraft capable of carrying a human into orbit, but needed to run an extensive program of animal tests first.
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