Retro Raunch Revisit

JUL 22, 1951: Russian space dogs Dezik and Tsygan become the first dogs to fly in space & safely return unharmed when they are launched into sub-orbital flight from the Kapustin Yar rocket complex east of Volgograd. The Soviet space program had used the animals to test whether human spaceflight was feasible. Female mixed-breed dogs were preferred due to their easier temperment, weight of 15lb, anatomical compatibilty with their outfitted module spacesuit (with acrylic glass bubble helmet), and for their endurance of long periods of inactivity. Dezik and Tsygan were sent in a Soviet R-1 missile (a copy of the German V-2 in WWII), experienced weightlessness for 4 minutes and fell back to earth in a parachute where they were then fed water, sausages & sugar by lead rocket engineer Sergei Korolev out of excitement for their survival. In Sept, Dezik was again sent to space with a dog named Lisa but both were killed when their parachutes failed to deploy. Shortly after, Tsygan was retired, adopted and went on to have 2 litters of puppies. Some 57 dogs on atleast 69 flights were sent to space between Jul 1951 to Feb 1966 with many flying more than once, and predominantly in pairs. [Laika in Nov 1957 flying in the Sputnik 2 was both the first solo dog and first creature to orbit the plant. She died in her capsule 5-7hrs into the flight from stress & overheating with the cause of death not made public until Oct 2002]. The dogs were flown to maximum altitudes of 62, 200 & 280 miles and were contained in pressurized cabins. Most survived but with 60% reportedly suffering from constipation & gallstones upon arrival back at base. Those that died (estimated at 15) were mostly through technical malfunctions. Other animals the Russians later sent into space were mice & rats, rabbits, monkeys & chimpanzees, and fruit flies.