A stray dog became the world’s first cosmonaut 60 years ago todayWRITTEN BY Ephrat Livni
7 hours ago
https://qz.com/1119003/a-stray-dog-became-the-worlds-first-cosmonaut-60-years-ago-today/
A Romanian stamp commemorating Laika, the Russian cosmonaut (1959). (public domain)Laika was a dog with humble beginnings who would become a global star. The first living being to leave the Earth’s orbit, taking off 60 years ago today in the Russian satellite Sputnik on Nov. 3, 1957, the stray mutt landed a place in history.
Discovered by a talent spotter from the Russian space program on the streets, the dog met all the criteria—docile, resourceful, peed without lifting a leg, and photogenic. One of six picked to train for space travel, Laika was ultimately chosen to go for her quizzical expression, her trainer, 90-year-old biologist Adilya Kotovskaya, told the
Associated Press.
Indeed, in images Laika always looked gently confused, as if she already sensed her destiny and couldn’t understand why she’d die for her charms.
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