Laika Moscow Monument (Portion)

This print was made possible by Photogrammetry Crowdsourcing. Thanks go to: Alexei17, Grindcore_Joe & ivann_vanovv for going out and getting me photos of the monument.

I have taken this model as far as I can with minimal skills and free Photogrammetry software. I welcome any remixes that clean it up or bring out the details!

Laika became the first animal to orbit the planet. Laika was chosen less for her intelligence than for her literal puppy dog eyes that the rocket scientists in Russia knew people the world over could identify with. They were not wrong, and Laika quickly gained international attention.

The adorable little dog was trained up and fitted with a space suit before being launched into space on November 3, 1957. The craft carrying Laika, Sputnik 2, made over 2,000 revolutions of the Earth before disintegrating on reentry. According to the Russian government, Laika had perished in space either due to oxygen deprivation or a planned euthanization. It was not until 2002 that they revealed Laika had in actuality died within hours of launch from overheating. Nonetheless, she had become a hero.

Strangely, the famous dog did not receive her own monument in the Russian capital until 2008. The small monument that now stands near a military research station is shaped like an abstract rocket that morphs into a hand, cradling Laika towards the stars. If only her actual fate had been so peaceful.

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