Sputnik 2

The Soviet Union was sending up dogs and the US was racing to catch up.

Um, this came shortly after the launch of Sputnik, uh, the first Earth-orbiting satellite, and, uh, a month later, the launch in October 1957 of Sputnik 2, which was the first satellite to orbit a dog, Soviet satellite.

So the US was in something of a panic.

Space historian Chris Dubbs.

The Soviet Union was sending up dogs, and the US was racing to catch up.

Um, this came shortly after the launch of Sputnik, uh, the first Earth orbiting satellite, and, uh, a month later, the launch in October 1957 of Sputnik 2, which was the first satellite to orbit a dog, Soviet satellite.

So the US was in something of a panic.

Space historian Chris Dubbs.

What elevated the Levelland incident beyond a local curiosity into the annals of UAP folklore is in part the timing of its disclosure.

November 1957 was not long after the Soviet Union's launch of Sputnik 2, an event that had already sparked public imagination regarding extraterrestrial surveillance.

The press capitalized on the sense that any unexplained aerial phenomenon might be linked to clandestine foreign or even alien technology, and Levelland made headline news in several Texas dailies as well as in national outlets like the Associated Press dispatches that reached the Pentagon.

That media coverage, combined with a brief but intense congressional hearing,

Question 2.

Which mission flew Laika and what key system did it lack? Answer Sputnik 2 and it had no reentry box recovery system to bring her back.

Launched in 1957 by the USSR, Sputnik 2 proved an animal could endure launch and weightlessness.

But it was not designed for return.

Laika died hours after launch due to overheating, highlighting early limits of life support engineering.

They wanted to test whether a living creature could survive a voyage into space.

So, on November 3rd, 1957, Laika was launched aboard Sputnik 2, becoming the first living creature to orbit the Earth.

At the time, a marvel of man's scientific achievements.

But it was always going to be a one-way trip.

It's now one of the longest running number ones in US history.

Number two, in which country were the first modern Summer Olympic Games held in 1896? Number two, in which country were the first modern Summer Olympic Games held in 1896? Number three, in Greek mythology, which king turned everything he touched into gold? Number three, in Greek mythology, which king turned everything he touched into gold? Number four, what type of animal was inside Sputnik 2 when it was launched into orbit in 1957? Number four, what type of animal was inside Sputnik 2 when launched into orbit in 1957? Question five, in which film does the character Tyler Durden appear? Number five, in which film does the character Tyler Durden appear? Six, what's the only internal organ in the human body that can regenerate? Number six, what is the only internal organ in the human body that can regenerate? Number seven, Ganymede is the largest moon of which planet? Number seven, Ganymede is the largest moon of which planet? Number eight, ATM stands for automated what? Number eight, if you were using an ATM, you'd be using an automated what? That's ATM.

Number nine, how many weapons were in the original UK version of the board game Cluedo, known internationally as Clue? Number nine, how many weapons are in the original UK version of the board game Cluedo, known internationally as Clue? Number 10, what is the perfect score in a game of 10-pin bowling? Number 10, what is the perfect score in a game of 10-pin bowling? And that is your 10 questions for starters on Takeaway Trivia this week.

I'll have the answers for those after round number two.

Three, sticking with Greece, in Greek mythology, which king turned everything he touched into gold? I've written gold as the answer.

That's wrong, isn't it? Um, it's King Midas, wasn't it? The Midas touch.

At number four, what type of animal was inside Sputnik 2 when launched into orbit in 1957? It was a dog, a Laika.

Sadly she never made it back.