Impressive 1:19 scale presentation model of the two-stage Sputnik 2 8K71PS launch vehicle. This custom handmade model, constructed of metal and plastic composite, stands approximately 62˝ tall and is set on an attractive 12.75˝ x 12.75˝ x 1.25˝ base with descriptive plaque: “Space Rocket, Model 8K71ПC-2, Sputnik-2 with Laika Onboard.” The stunning two-piece model features the Sputnik 2 with Laika protected below its cone-shaped payload fairing and seated atop the payload base, with a lower core stage and four massive boosters. In fine condition, some wear to base.
Laika, a female street dog from Moscow, was launched aboard Sputnik 2 on November 3, 1957, just a month after the successful launch of Sputnik 1. Little was known about the effects of spaceflight on living creatures at the time of Laika's mission and animal flights were viewed by engineers as a necessary precursor to human missions. However, as the technology to de-orbit had not yet been developed, Laika's survival was never expected. She died of overheating hours into the flight, on the craft's fourth orbit. Laika's mission paved the way for human spaceflight by providing valuable data on the effects of space travel on living organisms. She is remembered as a pioneer and a symbol of the sacrifices made in the pursuit of space exploration.
