Space Race Gallery

Laika the space dog postcard

Laika the space dog postcard. Artwork on postcard of Laika, the bitch who became the first animal in space. She was launched aboard the Soviet Sputnik 2 spacecraft. Sputnik 2 was launched on 3 November 1957. Laika (meaning "Husky" or "Barker") was contained within a sealed cabin with a food store and an air conditioner. Soviet propaganda at the time maintained that she survived for about a week, but in fact she died after just a few hours due to overheating and panic. The spacecraft was not designed to be recovered and it burnt up as it re-entered the atmosphere on 14 April 1958, 162 days after its launch.

© DETLEV VAN RAVENSWAAY/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY

Vostok 1 spacecraft after landing, 1961

Vostok 1 descent module after landing in the Saratov region of Russia, in the USSR, on 12 April 1961. Vostok 1 was the first spacecraft to take a human into space. Its spherical descent module, which measured 2.3 metres across and housed Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin during the spaceflight. The spacecraft launched from Baikonur in Kazakhstan, and took 1 hour and 48 minutes to circle the Earth. After re-entry the descent module separated from the rest of the spacecraft. Gagarin ejected 7 kilometres up, parachuting safely to the ground. The descent module also deployed a parachute, but impacted the ground hard enough to create an impact crater, bouncing several times before coming to rest covered in soil.

© RIA NOVOSTI/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY

Komarov before Soyuz 1 launch, 1967

Komarov before Soyuz 1 launch, speaking at the launch site in Kazakhstan, on 23 April 1967. Soviet cosmonaut Vladimir Komarov (1927-1967) was killed during this mission. He launched later the same day, but the spacecraft soon began to spin out of control during its orbits. Komarov's wife was brought to the control centre to say farewell. After 18 orbits, Komarov attempted to perform a re-entry and safe landing on 24 April 1967. The parachutes failed to deploy properly, and he was killed on impact, becoming the first person to die during a space flight. It was later reported that the Soviets had rushed the launch of Soyuz 1 before it was fully ready, timing it to coincide with political celebrations for Lenin's birthday.

© RIA NOVOSTI/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY