Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Russians Reveal Early Death of Laika

Posted by michael on from the where-no-dog-had-gone-before dept.

jonerik writes "Contrary to long-believed Soviet reports that Laika the space dog - the first living animal to be launched into orbit from Earth - lived for a week or so after she was launched into orbit aboard Sputnik 2 in November 1957, CNN is now reporting that Dimitri Malashenkov of the Institute for Biomedical Problems in Moscow has presented a scientific paper at the World Space Congress in Houston, Texas in which he revealed that Laika actually died a few hours after launch due to thermal insulation problems overheating the cabin interior. Sputnik 2 remained in orbit a total of 162 days, before burning up in the atmosphere on April 14, 1958."

7 of 72 comments (clear)

  1. That explains why China is working on a space prog by Ashran · · Score: 4, Funny

    > died a few hours after launch due to thermal insulation problems overheating the cabin interior
    China is just looking for new ways to cook dogs alive without animal rights organisations close by :)

    --

    Before you email me, remember: "There is no god!"
  2. Damn I hungry... by xagon7 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Hot-dogs anyone?

    I couldnt resist...

    1. Re:Damn I hungry... by falzer · · Score: 4, Funny

      Uh... hm. What part of the dog did you get in your hot-dog?

  3. Hee hee... by C0LDFusion · · Score: 3, Funny

    I never met a Space Dog I didn't Laika!

    Oh, well...

    Anyway, I think its interesting to remember that Dogs made it into space before humans.



    ...that is unless you belong to a UFO cult like the Raelians and think we're originally from outer space.

    --
    Only in slashdot are posts of solidarity modded at -1 Redundant, while posts of antagonism are modded as -1 Flamebait.
  4. Re:Center for What Now? by SB5 · · Score: 2, Funny

    If it involves the Soviet Union, then it has to be listed as such, the CIA and FBI just can't release the pertinent files that explain the "biomedical problem", (insert recent space alien conspircy with the Top Level US government officials here)

    --
    If what you are reading sounds funny, or sarcastic, lame, or stupid
    it is because it is supposed to be. just laugh
  5. Re:Makes me sick! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Better yet, send an entire boy band.

  6. What a shame by buzzdecafe · · Score: 2, Funny

    He was my favorite character on "Taxi."

    "Tank you very much."