Sputnik 5

Description

This spacecraft was the second in a series of spacecraft designed to further the development of an Earth orbiting system for the planned manned space program. The spacecraft carried two dogs, Strelka (pictured) and Belka, in addition to a television system and other scientific instrumentation. After a one day flight, the spacecraft and both dogs were successfully recovered.

Sputnik 5 (1960 Lambda 1), also referred to as Korabl Sputnik 2, was the second in a series of spacecraft designed to further the development of an Earth orbiting system for the planned Soviet crewed space program. The objectives of the program were to: put a spacecraft that could potentially carry a cosmonaut into a circular Earth orbit; test the life-support functions of the biological cabin; study the effects of orbit and space environment on biological and botanical specimens; and to re-enter from orbit and retrieve the cabin and specimens. The spacecraft had a mass of 4600 kg and contained a hermetically sealed pressurized cabin. The cabin held biological specimens (dogs, mice, rats, flies, plants, fungus, etc.). There was a temperature and pressure momitoring system for the biological subjects and cosmic ray, X-ray, and ultraviolet radiation detectors. Power was provided by solar cells and chemical batteries. Transmissions were at 19.995 MHz.

Sputnik 5 was launched on 19 August 1960 at 8:38 UT from Baikonur Cosmodrome into a roughly 306 x 340 km (190 x 211 mile) altitude orbit with a period of 90.7 minutes and an inclination of 64.7 degrees. The cabin re-entered the atmosphere after 17 orbits on 20 August 1960. Recovery was successful. The Sputnik 5 rocket body (1960 Lambda 2) re-entered on 23 September 1960.