#Soviet dogs

[little-witchys-garden]

Remember them

Bars and Lisichka

Bars and Lisichka were two dogs that were part of the Soviet Vostok program and were intended to orbit the Earth, but died after their rocket exploded during launch on July 28, 1960.

Bars was described as protective, steadfast and loyal yet had a tricky streak.

Lisichka is described as playful, joyous and mischievous but very affectionate.

Bars name meant lynx/panther while Lisichka's name meant little fox given because of their personalities.

[ink-the-artist]

Love the contrast between the Americans’ “Apollo” and the Soviets’ “Sputnik.” You got the Americans naming their rocket after a Greek god trying to communicate the grandness and importance of this rocket. And you got the Soviets naming their rocket “fellow traveler.” Like a friend you go on an  adventure with together. This rocket is our little friend lol 

[sovietpostcards]

"The Partner" by Vyacheslav Samarin (1979)

[spacefrontier]

Belka and Strelka, prior to the launch of Korabl-Sputnik 2.

Korabl-Sputnik 2, launched on August 19, 1960, was the first spaceflight to send animals into space and safely recover them. Joining Belka and Strelka were forty mice, two rats, and various plants. 25 hours after launch, the spacecraft returned to Earth.

Korabl-Sputnik 2 was pivotal in certifying the Vostok spacecraft that would carry the first human, Yuri Gagarin, to space eight months later.

A year later, Strelka had a litter of puppies, one of which, Pushinka, was given to First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy as a goodwill present.

BBC

[spacejunksally]

Laika cigarettes, USSR, 1958. // Olesya Turkina, Soviet Space Dogs. // Postage stamp, Socialist Republic of Romania, 1969 // Alex Wellerstein, Remembering Laika. // Postcard, USSR, 1957 // Postage stamp, Polish People's Republic, 1957. // Patti White, Laika. // Matchbox, USSR, 1966.

[aggietoons]

My favorite characters :)

[asoftepiloguemylove]

laika and the pain of loss

Matthew Stover Revenge of the Sith // Laika in a flight harness (via wikipedia) // Aeschylus Aeschylus: The Oresteia // Haruki Murakami Sputnik Sweetheart // Olessya Turkina Soviet Space Dogs // Haruki Murakami Norwegian Wood // Ada Limon Sharks in the Rivers // Marina Tsvetaeva from a letter to Boris Pasternak // @fateology muttnik // H.D. Loss // Lavinia Greenlaw For the First Dog in Space // Why Laika the Space Dog is All Animals (via lakia magazine)

[spit8]

little star

[xxxecuted]

1970s estonian oilcloth inflatable toys

[bana-ki-art]

It's like I'm collecting cards or stickers, I had to make this template, I didn't just draw them the same way.

[soviet-amateurs]

The army veteran and his dog riding their bike.

St Petersburg, 1991

[ink-the-artist]

Bon Voyage

[sovietpostcards]

"Orpheus on the Windowsill" by Valentin Tselmer (1950s)

[acupofbritishearlgrey]

Margarita Terekhova as Diana, Countess de Belfleur

The Dog in the Manger (1978), dir. Yan Frid

[fedyaspookie]

CANON.

[bedbabayka]

In fact, Sharikov is trying to play a balalaika cover version of the the song "Alive" here.

A redrawing of one cool meme from VK.