Laika, a Soviet dog, was the first animal to orbit Earth in 1957 but died hours after launch due to a malfunctioning thermal control unit. Yuri Gagarin became the first human astronaut in 1961, orbiting Earth once before parachuting back to Earth.
The first astronaut was the Soviet Yuri Gagarin or the Soviet dog Laika, depending on whether the definition is narrowed by species. Both are remembered for their achievements and contributions to space travel.
Laika, a name that literally means “barker” and was based on its race, was launched into space on November 3, 1957 aboard Sputnik 2, becoming the first animal to orbit the Earth. This was just one month after the launch of the first satellite, Sputnik, on October 4, 1957. Sputnik 2 was the second spacecraft launched into Earth orbit.
The dog was selected from the kennel and was once a homeless dog that roamed the streets of Moscow. He died just hours after launch, due to stress and overheating from a malfunctioning thermal control unit. Since the technology to return a payload to Earth was not available at the time, it was planned to put the canine astronaut to sleep with poisoned food on the tenth day of the flight.
Sputnik 2’s cabin included a life support system with an oxygen generator, a ventilator that was supposed to kick in when the temperature exceeded 59°C (15°F), jelly food for a 10-day flight, and a bag to collect rejection. When some of the thermal insulation came loose after last stage separation, the cabin temperature rose to 104°C (40°F) and Laika died within 5-7 hours after severe stress. The dog’s precise cause of death wasn’t made public until decades later.
As satellite and space technology progressed rapidly, the Soviet Union decided once again to lead the way into space by launching the first human astronaut. Yuri Gagarin was launched into space on April 12, 1961, about three and a half years after Sputnik was launched. Traveling aboard Vostok 1, Gagarin orbited the Earth just once, taking 108 minutes.
Gagarin then ejected from the capsule, approximately 4.35 miles (7 km) above the ground, parachuting to Earth a few hundred miles (km) away from the launch site in Kazakhstan. Some villagers saw Vostok 1 hit the ground near where Gagarin landed with his parachute. Being the world’s first astronaut, Gagarin instantly became an international celebrity.
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