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The Wikipedia article about Russian space dogs [0] mentioned in this post would almost deserve a HN submission by itself. [0] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russ

by nmc 12y ago

The Wikipedia article about Russian space dogs [0] mentioned in this post would almost deserve a HN submission by itself. [0] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_space_dogs http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_space_dogs

Luc 12y ago
Indeed, there was a dog called Zvezdochka on the March 25 flight. Funny how it doesn't get mentioned in the article. I basically don't trust this article. I don't believe the passage about the peasants opening the visor and being bewildered actually happened. It doesn't match what I've read before, and it's just the kind of tall story an over-eager, uncritical journalist loves to write.
- nmc 12y ago
  I kind of agree on the overall tone... feels like the guy is afraid of coming out Western-sided. However I would need more fact-checking to conclude.
- breakingcups 12y ago
  From the article: "(This was in addition to the canine companions that flew with Ivan, in the proud tradition of the Soviet space program: Chernushka ("Blackie") for his first flight, and Zvezdochka ("Little Star") for his second.)"
  - Luc 12y ago
    My mistake, sorry! Too late to edit.
- eps 12y ago
  Erm... Zvezdochka is mentioned in the article.
- fit2rule 12y ago
  I read the book the article is based on, and it does indeed mention the fact that the peasants were frustrated at not receiving their reward for catching a Western spy .. why does it seem suspicious to you? Remember this is the period of time when the U-2 shootdown incident occurred, and the Soviets were very edgy about these things .. it doesn't at all seem implausible to me - why does it seem so to you?
  - Luc 12y ago
    I remember reading a quite different account, where due to heavy weather the locals didn't get to approach the dummy before the officials arrived. No mention was made of the locals actually opening the visor of the helmet. It just seems too perfect, too movie script. There's plenty of references to how the 'Maket' sign was placed in the helmet for just this occurence: in case peasants would get to it before the rescue crew. In my opinion this writer has taken this as an account of what _actually_ happened, but it didn't. Perhaps circumstantial to this issue, but note that the top Amazon review of the book gives it 2 stars and mentions 'fundamental and gross errors': http://www.amazon.com/Space-Race-Between-America-Dominion/dp/0061176281/ http://www.amazon.com/Space-Race-Between-America-Dominion/dp... A review further down says 'many details of the Korolev story seem merely speculative - but it makes for a racy read.'
    - fit2rule 12y ago
      Well, take a look at how someone who was there, and whose job it was to be accurately documenting the whole thing, described it: http://books.google.at/books?id=G1Bcc67kf2QC&pg=PA53&dq=ivan+ivanovich+dummy&hl=en&sa=X&ei=589QUZToAs_F4AOm94CICQ&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=ivan%20ivanovich%20dummy&f=false http://books.google.at/books?id=G1Bcc67kf2QC&pg=PA53&dq=ivan... Why would he lie? His entire profession was to document things accurately. I'm just curious what makes you question this aspect of the event so .. is it hubris?
      - Luc 12y ago
        You realize this description by Suvorov, embellished or not, is COMPLETELY DIFFERENT from the visor-opening description which I find hard to believe? >I'm just curious what makes you question this aspect of the event so .. is it hubris? ZZZZAP! Luc gets hit by a lightning bolt from a clear sky. I guess we're done.

by nmc 12y ago

Luc 12y ago

Indeed, there was a dog called Zvezdochka on the March 25 flight. Funny how it doesn't get mentioned in the article. I basically don't trust this article. I don't believe the passage about the peasants opening the visor and being bewildered actually happened. It doesn't match what I've read before, and it's just the kind of tall story an over-eager, uncritical journalist loves to write.

nmc 12y ago
I kind of agree on the overall tone... feels like the guy is afraid of coming out Western-sided. However I would need more fact-checking to conclude.
breakingcups 12y ago
From the article: "(This was in addition to the canine companions that flew with Ivan, in the proud tradition of the Soviet space program: Chernushka ("Blackie") for his first flight, and Zvezdochka ("Little Star") for his second.)"
- Luc 12y ago
  My mistake, sorry! Too late to edit.
eps 12y ago
Erm... Zvezdochka is mentioned in the article.
fit2rule 12y ago
I read the book the article is based on, and it does indeed mention the fact that the peasants were frustrated at not receiving their reward for catching a Western spy .. why does it seem suspicious to you? Remember this is the period of time when the U-2 shootdown incident occurred, and the Soviets were very edgy about these things .. it doesn't at all seem implausible to me - why does it seem so to you?
- Luc 12y ago
  I remember reading a quite different account, where due to heavy weather the locals didn't get to approach the dummy before the officials arrived. No mention was made of the locals actually opening the visor of the helmet. It just seems too perfect, too movie script. There's plenty of references to how the 'Maket' sign was placed in the helmet for just this occurence: in case peasants would get to it before the rescue crew. In my opinion this writer has taken this as an account of what _actually_ happened, but it didn't. Perhaps circumstantial to this issue, but note that the top Amazon review of the book gives it 2 stars and mentions 'fundamental and gross errors': http://www.amazon.com/Space-Race-Between-America-Dominion/dp/0061176281/ http://www.amazon.com/Space-Race-Between-America-Dominion/dp... A review further down says 'many details of the Korolev story seem merely speculative - but it makes for a racy read.'
  - fit2rule 12y ago
    Well, take a look at how someone who was there, and whose job it was to be accurately documenting the whole thing, described it: http://books.google.at/books?id=G1Bcc67kf2QC&pg=PA53&dq=ivan+ivanovich+dummy&hl=en&sa=X&ei=589QUZToAs_F4AOm94CICQ&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=ivan%20ivanovich%20dummy&f=false http://books.google.at/books?id=G1Bcc67kf2QC&pg=PA53&dq=ivan... Why would he lie? His entire profession was to document things accurately. I'm just curious what makes you question this aspect of the event so .. is it hubris?
    - Luc 12y ago
      You realize this description by Suvorov, embellished or not, is COMPLETELY DIFFERENT from the visor-opening description which I find hard to believe? >I'm just curious what makes you question this aspect of the event so .. is it hubris? ZZZZAP! Luc gets hit by a lightning bolt from a clear sky. I guess we're done.