The Program Merch
Description: Laika (Russian: Лайка; c. 1954 – 3 November 1957) was a Soviet space dog who became one of the first animals in space, and the first animal to orbit the Earth. Laika, a stray mongrel from the streets of Moscow, was selected to be the occupant of the Soviet spacecraft Sputnik 2 that was launched into outer space on 3 November 1957. Little was known about the impact of spaceflight on living creatures at the time of Laika's mission, and the technology to de-orbit had not yet been developed, so Laika's survival was never expected. Some scientists believed humans would be unable to survive the launch or the conditions of outer space, so engineers viewed flights by animals as a necessary precursor to human missions.
Description: Billions for rockets. Pennies for the rent. The math never added up, and fifty years later, it still doesn't. When they announce the next launch while the bills pile up. When the news celebrates milestones in space while ignoring milestones in struggle. When priorities reveal themselves in budget line items. The question still stands.
Description: A humorous illustration of a brown owlbear sitting in the back of a wagon. They have an intense, focused look on their face as they sit awkwardly on their rear with their hind legs splayed out. This particular owlbear has a feathered owl head, a furry bear body, and a band of feathers encircling their waist. This is an illustration for The Owlbear Reintroduction Program, a tabletop role-playing adventure that was played on the Writing Alchemy podcast. In it, Willa the gecko lizardperson rogue, Tarragon the orc bard, and D’Zân the weredragon druid participated in a project that is reestablishing owlbears in areas where the owlbear populations have been previously wiped out. Illustration by Meghan Dornbrock.
