November 3
Laika in Space:
Saint Hubert, Where Were You?

Saints celebrating feast days on November 3 include Saint Hubert (patron saint of hunting and huntsmen, dogs, dog lovers, and dog fanciers, invoked against rabies or hydrophobia).

Ironically, Laika, the first astropup, was launched by the Russians in Sputnik 2 on this day in 1957. Oh, Laika, where are those saints when you really need them? Laika floated around in space for about a week, her vital statistics monitored by the scientists on the earth below, and was then put to sleep with gas pumped into the vessel since there was no safe reentry method developed at that time.

Sputnik 2 returned to earth after 162 days.

"In Star City, outside Moscow in Kaliningrad stands a large monument to the Russian space heroes. In a small forward section of this stone edifice, peeking out from behind the cosmonauts, her ears at alert, stands the image of Laika, a true space pioneer."

Sniff. Sniff.

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My sister collects buttons and a not-uncommon theme of large metal buttons is "Saint Hubert's Hounds." Here's a picture of a leather one--will have to take a photo of one of her nice metal ones.

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Celebrating birthdays today: Charles Bronson (1922), Kathy Kinney (1954), Steve Landesberg (1945), Roseanne (1953).

On to November 4
Back to November 2
Back to the Farm

© Marilyn Jones 1999-2006