10 Facts About Sputnik 2

Sputnik 2 was launched into space only 32 days after its predecessor Sputnik 1.

Plan for Sputnik 1 and Sputnik 2 was initiated and presented by Korolev, and was approved in January 1957.

Sputnik 2 reentered the atmosphere on 14 April 1958 after 162 days in space and about 2500 orbits.

Unlike Sputnik 1, Sputnik 2 was not designed to detach from the R-7 sustainer core, since Sputnik 1's core stage had demonstrated an acceptable orbital lifespan.

Pressurized cabin on Sputnik 2 was padded and allowed enough room for Laika to lie down or stand.

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Time after Sputnik 2 was tense for the Americans and exciting for the Soviets.

The day after Sputnik 2 went into orbit the Gaither committee met with President Eisenhower to brief him on the current situation.

Sputnik 2 detected the Earth's outer radiation belt in the far northern latitudes, but researchers did not immediately realize the significance of the elevated radiation because Sputnik 2 passed through the Van Allen belt too far out of range of the Soviet tracking stations.

Sputnik 2 reentered the Earth's atmosphere on 14 April 1958, at approximately 0200 hrs, on a line that stretched from New York to the Amazon.

USSR-built engineering model of the R-7 Sputnik 2 8K71PS is located at the Cosmosphere in Hutchinson, Kansas, USA.