Can Dogs Go to Outer Space?

Name: Elijah
Grade: 1
What is your favorite planet or star? Earth
Question: I have a little dog named Ruby. Could she go to outer space?

Thanks for your great question, Elijah! I also really love our planet, the earth, since it is our home! God created it as a very special place for us, and it is the only habitable planet (at least, that we know of) with lots of breathable air, water, plants, trees, and so on. It really is one of a kind!

Public Domain via NASA

Now to your question—could your dog (Ruby) ever go to outer space? Probably not! There’s a very strict process that every human—and animal—must go through before blasting off into orbit (to prepare them for the harsh conditions of launching into outer space).

But did you know that dogs have actually been to space in the past? One popular example is from the early stages of the Space Age in 1960 when the Soviet Union launched their Sputnik 5 satellite with an animal habitat that held two dogs named Belka and Strelka—the first dogs to successfully orbit the earth1 and land safely back on earth (the mission also included a gray rabbit, mice, rats, fruit flies, and plants—all survived the trip!). Now those were some cool (or rather hot?) space dogs!

Illustration of the Soviet space dogs, Belka and Strelka
Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons

Photos of Belka (left) and Strelka (right) museum displays
Photos by Teknoraver via Wikimedia Commons

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