Laika the Astronaut
Laika, a three year old husky-terrier-type mix found as a stray wandering the streets of Moscow, would become the first animal sent to space and into orbit on November 3, 1957.
She was loved by the scientists of the Soviet Space Program, her name roughly translating to ‘Barker,’ coming from the Russian verb ‘layat’, meaning ‘to bark,’ due to her loud bark. During her time there, the scientists gave her many endearing nicknames such as Kudryavka (Little Curly), Zhuchka (Little Bug), and Limonchik (Little Lemon). On her last night prior to launch she was brought home by a scientist to play with his children. In a book later written about Soviet space medicine, the scientist is quoted as saying “Laika was quiet and charming ... I wanted to do something nice for her: She had so little time left to live.”
A photo of Laika, training in her shuttle.
The scientists are quoted as saying that they chose strays as candidates for the mission due to their proven resilience to cold and hunger, having survived living on the frigid and rough streets of Moscow. Unfortunately, she only survived a couple hours, passing away due to overheating. After recovering the wreckage, it is suspected that the failure of the temperature control was due to damage from Laika, within the shuttle during flight.
While, from the beginning, there was no plan or existing method to bring her back home safely, she has continued to be honored and celebrated throughout the world, almost 80 years after her death. Since I was a child and learned the story of Laika, I have always felt a deep love for her. This is why I chose to create a quilt honoring her contributions to science and the exploration of space, forever remembered as Laika the Astronaut.
Laika in her flight harness.
