How did Laika the space dog die? Laika, a stray mongrel from the streets of Moscow, was selected to be the occupant of the Soviet spacecraft Sputnik 2 that was launched into outer space on 3 November 1957. What lessons can we learn from Laika the space dog and are we still making the same mistakes. She was the typical LOYAL dog, always following her master, and when reprimanded looked at … Laika went to space, her fate decided by man. The cause of death was the excessive heating of the aircraft in the sun. She died because--or so scientists predict--when the Soviet Sputnick 2 crashed, the cabin overheated, killing poor Laika within hours. Laika (Russian: Лайка; c. 1954 – 3 November 1957) was a Soviet space dog who became one of the first animals in space, and the first animal to orbit the Earth. Only female dogs were used because they were considered to be anatomically better suited than males for close confinement. She is a dog. Laika touched the stars before she died and she touched the hearts and minds of generations. Laika (Russian: Лайка; c. 1954 – 3 November 1957) was a Soviet space dog who became one of the first animals in space, and the first animal to orbit the Earth. The new documentary, which—according to Wired—will turn your stomach and break your heart, tells the story of Laika, a dog who died aboard Sputnik 2 after being blasted into space by experimenters who knew they were condemning her to a horrible death. Laika survived only a few hours. Laika died within hours from overheating, possibly caused by a failure of the central R-7 sustainer to separate from the payload. Laika was a small (13 pounds [6 kg]), even-tempered, mixed-breed dog about two years of age. Laika was once a part of our family - she was with us for four years, but we had to send her to the Dumanhugs (thank God we did as she was in better hands) because my son was asthmatic. Animal welfare organizations expressed outrage at news that the Russians have sent a dog into outer space. With only 3 weeks to create the new spacecraft, the Russians didn’t have time to create a way for Laika to make it home. But the unexpected happened. The creators of the apparatus thought that the dog would die 6 days after the launch, when the apparatus had run out of electricity. We now know that Laika died of overheating about 5-7 hours after launch. Initially, Soviet publications claimed that the dog died… She died a painful death, within hours, from overheating and panic. Laika is the first animal in the orbit. The plan was for Laika to die in space. Laika was a mongrel female, approx 3 years old, quiet and charming. The National Canine Defence League was calling on all dog lovers to observe a minute's silence. She was one of a number of stray dogs that were taken into the Soviet spaceflight program after being rescued from the streets. 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