We Laika Space Dog

           It took off.  A while of silence, and then the beeping emerged.  As it became more apparent, Americans were sure: it couldn't get any worse.  Sputnik meant America was behind in the Space Race as well as at risk of directed nuclear attacks on behalf of the Soviets.  Every last American life had seemingly been threatened.
           But then, it did.  It got worse.  There was another Sputnik... and this one had our best friend on it.  Half of America was still most worried about a Soviet attack, but another half of Americans were more preoccupied with the fate of the mongrel aboard Sputnik 2.
           Born circa 1954 in Moscow, Laika, a part-husky/Samoyed part-terrier mutt, would make history as the first animal to orbit the Earth.  At eleven pounds, the brave little dog would pave the way for human spaceflight.  To call her brave might be unfair, as I doubt the Soviets asked her if she wanted to risk her life (when they picked her from the streets) for her supposed best friend, man.  But I like to think of Laika, better known as Curly to Americans who seem to believe even our naming system is better than that of the Soviets, as a hero to the hundreds of thousands of dogs across the globe that watched her on the family television throughout her voyage.
           Her legacy manifested itself in the next trip to space with a human, Yuri Gagarin, on board.  While she herself would die six hours into the mission, Laika's survival thus far proved that living organisms could withstand the launch into orbit and endure a micro-g environment.  The cause of death was overheating, probably from a mechanical failure within the vessel, although it would take many years (until 2002 to be exact) for the Soviet Union/media to admit/realize both of the true details of time of death and manner of death.  They initially claimed they had euthanized her prior to the launch, then they said that on day 6 her oxygen had run out.  Regardless, Laika was loved by the public and I'm glad that the following (successful!) space missions would prove her death was not in vain.  She was 3 when she passed.
           Should you ever visit the military research facility in Moscow that prepared Laika's flight to space, you'll see a small monument to Laika.  You'll see a dog standing atop a rocket.  And you may miss her, maybe even want to cry for her, even though you never really knew her.  But know this: she was a hero, and she was just eleven pounds.  And she was cute.  Okay, go ahead and cry.
           She was really cute.