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Laika, the space dog, and her one-way trip into orbit (2018)

smithsonianmag.com

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Re: Laika, the space dog, and her one-way trip into orbit (2018)

#51

Post by PhasmaFelis »

belval wrote: post #28

> Soviet physicians chose Laika to die, but they were not entirely heartless. This tone is really harsh, animals dying to push science forward is still common today and acting like they were "heartless" for it is disingenuous. Laika got to be remembered, which his already much more than can be said of most test subjects.

> This tone is really harsh, animals dying to push science forward is still common today

That doesn't really change anything.

> Laika got to be remembered, which his already much more than can be said of most test subjects

I doubt that was much comfort to her.

Re: Laika, the space dog, and her one-way trip into orbit (2018)

#52

Post by euroderf »

boulos wrote: post #44
pipeline_peak wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Did the US sacrifice any animals before they sent a human to space?

Yes, mostly mice and primates. https://history.nasa.gov/animals.html is a quick summary.

IIRC Ham was a returning hero.

Re: Laika, the space dog, and her one-way trip into orbit (2018)

#53

Post by ozzythecat »

wiseowise wrote: post #31
my_city wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You do. How would you otherwise demonize a Country that reached peak industrialization in a couple decades starting from a rural, semi-feudal society? - That established the 8 hour work day in 1917, - legalized abortion in 1920, - erradicated illiteracy and achieved a literacy rate of 75% starting from 25%, - Was the first country to build satellites and men to space? - Provided a decent standard of living to all the…

Millions starved to death in collectivization, even more millions displaced from their homes and sent to gulags. Intelligentsia eradicated as a class. The biggest and potentially richest country in the world collapsed due to planned economy. And that’s just my layman knowledge typing on a phone, I’m sure many historians can decimate your comment even harder.

> Millions starved to death in collectivization, even more millions displaced from their homes and sent to gulags. Intelligentsia eradicated as a class. The biggest and potentially richest country in the world collapsed due to planned economy.

Communism didn’t work, for sure, but I’m not sure how this takes away from the things that the Soviets did accomplish, which op listed above.

I also find it interesting the standard we judge the Soviets by. Millions have starved under capitalism, but in comparison to what? the Western world where we’ve been constantly at war with some country in the world, treating brown people as less than humans, causing refugee crises in the millions and civil wars?

I know the typical response to this comment is something like, “Oh but that’s whataboutism”. Well the reality is that as an American, I we should have the self awareness to recognize that we’re like a skunk complaining about the stench from another skunk.

Back to the original topic - the anti Russia frenzy is in full swing. This much should be clear to anyone, based on the tone of this article.

Re: Laika, the space dog, and her one-way trip into orbit (2018)

#54

Post by BurningFrog »

fnfontana wrote: post #39

At least Laika server for a noble cause. What I think is terrible is the fact that Soviet Army tied up bombs on dogs and let the run after enemy tanks on the WWII. Humans sometimes acts disgustingly.

Most of us consider defeating Hitler's genocidal Nazi regime a noble cause.

Re: Laika, the space dog, and her one-way trip into orbit (2018)

#56

Post by Retric »

boulos wrote: post #44
pipeline_peak wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Did the US sacrifice any animals before they sent a human to space?

Yes, mostly mice and primates. https://history.nasa.gov/animals.html is a quick summary.

NASA also used quite a bit of Airforce research that used Bears: https://medium.com/@shermikeholmes88/why-the-u-s-air-force-e...

Re: Laika, the space dog, and her one-way trip into orbit (2018)

#57

Post by themitigating »

lordgroff wrote: post #46
fnfontana wrote: post #39

At least Laika server for a noble cause. What I think is terrible is the fact that Soviet Army tied up bombs on dogs and let the run after enemy tanks on the WWII. Humans sometimes acts disgustingly.

The German death machine grinds down circa 30 million Soviet people, majority of them civilians, the hot take is being mad the red army for tank dogs. Sometimes the comments here are really special in their lack of context.

Soldiers and civilians are aware of risks and have the chance to mitigate them. Animals aren't aware and can't do anything.

Re: Laika, the space dog, and her one-way trip into orbit (2018)

#58

Post by Jun8 »

This is appalling but at least, as others commented, Laika got to be celebrated. For an example of real heartless exploitation of animals, see https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pit_of_despair. This psycho is still held in high esteem. Not only that, many such experiments continue to be made for research.

Re: Laika, the space dog, and her one-way trip into orbit (2018)

#59

Post by themitigating »

BurningFrog wrote: post #54
fnfontana wrote: post #39

At least Laika server for a noble cause. What I think is terrible is the fact that Soviet Army tied up bombs on dogs and let the run after enemy tanks on the WWII. Humans sometimes acts disgustingly.

Most of us consider defeating Hitler's genocidal Nazi regime a noble cause.

Did the dogs think that?

Re: Laika, the space dog, and her one-way trip into orbit (2018)

#60

Post by psychphysic »

PhasmaFelis wrote: post #51
belval wrote: post #28

> Soviet physicians chose Laika to die, but they were not entirely heartless. This tone is really harsh, animals dying to push science forward is still common today and acting like they were "heartless" for it is disingenuous. Laika got to be remembered, which his already much more than can be said of most test subjects.

> This tone is really harsh, animals dying to push science forward is still common today That doesn't really change anything. > Laika got to be remembered, which his already much more than can be said of most test subjects I doubt that was much comfort to her.

She's a dog. She wasn't capable of being comforted (or worried) by abstract concepts in the way humans can.

She wouldn't understand what it means to live or die for something.

Still being the first mammal in Earth orbit is wild. Man's best friend indeed!

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