For sale: one Soviet-era spacesuit, in stellar condition perfect fit for cosmic canines. The lace-up bodysuit, which features in a space memorabilia auction next week, has been worn on one trip by either Belka or Strelka, heroes of the Soviet space programme.
The dogs spent a day in space aboard the Sputnik 5 mission in August 1960, along with 42 mice, two rats, a rabbit, some fruit flies, plants and fungi — the first animals to be sent into orbit and return alive.
The mission was a precursor to the launch of cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin, the first person in space, the following year, and elevated Belka and Strelka to national heroes, notching up a victory for the Soviet Union in its space race with the US.
Made of cotton, nylon, rubber and aluminium, and with an oxygen hose, the suit has a starting price of £6,300. It is among more than 100 Soviet space artefacts amassed by German pop artist, Andreas Hoge after he underwent commercial cosmonaut training with the Russian space agency in the 1990s.