[FPSPACE] Two Russian anniversaries

[LARRY KLAES]

On this date in 1960, Belka and Strelka visited space for a day aboard 
Sputnik 5.

According to this source:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_space_dogs

"They were accompanied by a grey rabbit, 40 mice, 2 rats, flies and a number 
of plants and fungi. All biological passengers survived. Strelka went on to 
have six puppies, one of whom named Pushinka, was sent to President John F. 
Kennedy's children as a present. Pushinka's descendents are still living 
today.

"After death, the bodies of both Strelka and Belka were preserved. Belka is 
on display in Moscow, while Strelka continues to tour the world as part of a 
travelling exhibition."


A few years later, in 1991, President Gorbachev was considered to be not 
feeling well enough to run the USSR, so some of his generals decided to 
stand in for him, until he got better, of course.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_coup_attempt_of_1991

Belka and Strelka did not participate in the event, as far as we know.

Larry