Sputnik 2

Sputnik 2
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Name	Sputnik 2
Mission type	Biological research
Operator	Soviet space program
COSPAR ID	1957-002A
SATCAT	00003
Mission duration	162 days
Spacecraft	PS-2
Manufacturer	OKB-1
Launch mass	508.3 kg
Launch date	3 November 1957, 02:30:00 UTC
Launch rocket	Sputnik 8K71PS
Launch site	Baikonur Site 1/5
Decay date	14 April 1958
Orbit reference	Geocentric orbit
Orbit regime	Low Earth orbit
Orbit periapsis	212 km
Orbit apoapsis	1660 km
Orbit inclination	65.33°
Orbit period	103.7 minutes
Programme	Sputnik programme
Previous mission	Sputnik 1
Next mission	Sputnik 3

Sputnik 2. It was the second artificial satellite launched by the Soviet Union and a direct follow-up to the historic Sputnik 1. The mission achieved the milestone of carrying the first living creature, a dog named Laika, into Earth orbit. Its successful launch on 3 November 1957, just a month after its predecessor, delivered a profound psychological and technological shock during the early Cold War phase of the Space Race.

Mission overview

The mission was conceived and executed with extraordinary speed by the team led by chief designer Sergei Korolev at OKB-1, under intense political pressure from the Soviet government and Nikita Khrushchev. Its primary objective was to demonstrate the capability to launch a living organism into space, specifically to study the biological effects of spaceflight and weightlessness on a mammal. This was a critical step toward the eventual goal of human spaceflight, directly challenging the perceived technological lead of the United States. The launch was timed to coincide with the 40th anniversary of the October Revolution, serving as a potent symbol of Soviet scientific and ideological prowess on the global stage.

Spacecraft design

The spacecraft was a conical-cylindrical module approximately 4 meters high, with a base diameter of 2 meters, and was attached to the final stage of its launch vehicle. It was constructed from an aluminum alloy frame and pressurized to maintain a breathable environment for its canine passenger. Key systems included a life support system with an oxygen generator and a carbon dioxide absorbing device, a temperature control system using a fan, and basic telemetry equipment to transmit data on cabin pressure, temperature, and the dog's physiological state back to Soviet ground stations. Unlike its simpler predecessor, it contained several sealed compartments for scientific apparatus and the animal's cabin, but it was not designed for recovery, making it a one-way mission.

Laika the dog

The passenger was a stray Moscow street dog, a three-year-old female part-Siberian Husky mix named Laika, whose name translates to "Barker." Selected for her small size and calm temperament, she underwent extensive training in centrifuges and pressure chambers to condition her for the anticipated stresses of launch and weightlessness. For the mission, she was fitted with a harness, a waste collection bag, and sensors to monitor her heart rate, blood pressure, respiration, and physical movement. The true circumstances of her fate were concealed for decades; while the official Soviet account stated she was euthanized peacefully after a week, it was later revealed that she likely died from overheating and stress just hours into the flight due to a thermal control system failure.

Flight and legacy

Launched successfully from the Baikonur Cosmodrome atop a modified R-7 Semyorka ICBM, the satellite achieved an elliptical orbit. Telemetry confirmed that Laika survived the launch and initial weightlessness, but the thermal malfunction led to her premature death. The spacecraft itself continued to transmit data until its batteries were depleted after about six days. It remained in orbit for 162 days, completing approximately 2,570 revolutions, before re-entering the Earth's atmosphere and disintegrating over the Caribbean Sea. Internationally, the mission sparked both awe at the technological achievement and intense debate over animal testing ethics. Scientifically, it provided the first rudimentary data on a living organism in orbit, paving the way for subsequent missions like Korabl-Sputnik 2 which successfully returned dogs to Earth. Politically, it cemented an early Soviet lead in the Space Race, directly spurring the creation of NASA and accelerating American efforts such as the Explorer 1 project.

Category:Artificial satellites orbiting Earth Category:Soviet spacecraft Category:1957 in the Soviet Union