published in space

The dog “Laika”

Sputnik 2 was the first spacecraft to carry a living creature on board, the dog “Laika”. The satellite orbited around the Earth for over 100 days, after which the batteries ran out and the spacecraft was brought back into the atmosphere on 14th April 1958. Due to the friction with the dense layers of the atmosphere, the spacecraft burnt completely, bringing the poor dog to a dismal fate. Credits: RIA Nóvosti archive

Eni S.p.A. - P.IVA 00905811006