▁that ▁the ▁space craft ▁would ▁enter ▁the ▁atmosphere , ▁but ▁not ▁over ▁Soviet ▁territory . ▁For ▁this ▁reason ▁the ▁self - dest ruct ▁system ▁was ▁activ ated , ▁and ▁the ▁space craft ▁and ▁the ▁two ▁dogs ▁were ▁destroyed . ▁At ▁the ▁time , ▁the ▁press ▁reported ▁that ▁an ▁incorrect ▁alt itude ▁caused ▁the ▁cabin ▁to ▁be ▁destroyed ▁upon ▁re - entry . ▁ ▁The ▁next ▁V ost ok ▁ 1 K ▁space craft ▁was ▁launched ▁on ▁December ▁ 2 2 , ▁ 1 9 6 0 , ▁but ▁it ▁was ▁un named ▁because ▁it ▁failed ▁to ▁reach ▁orbit . ▁It ▁carried ▁two ▁dogs , ▁named ▁Kom eta ▁and ▁Sh ut ka . ▁The ▁third ▁stage ▁of ▁the ▁launch ▁system ▁mal function ed , ▁and ▁the ▁emer gency ▁escape ▁system ▁was ▁activ ated . ▁The ▁space craft ▁land ed ▁ 3 , 5 0 0 ▁kilometres ▁down range ▁of ▁the ▁launch ▁site . ▁The ▁resulting ▁rescue ▁operation ▁took ▁several ▁days , ▁in ▁- 4 0 ▁° C ▁conditions . ▁After ▁a ▁few ▁days , ▁the ▁dogs ▁were ▁both ▁recovered ▁alive , ▁and ▁the ▁space craft ▁was ▁returned ▁to ▁Moscow ▁a ▁few ▁weeks ▁later . ▁Despite ▁Kor ole v ' s ▁desire ▁to ▁announ ce ▁this ▁failure ▁to ▁the ▁press , ▁the ▁State ▁Commission ▁v eto ed ▁the ▁idea . ▁ ▁V ost ok ▁ 3 K A ▁ ▁The ▁two ▁un cre wed ▁miss ions ▁immediately ▁preceding ▁the ▁first ▁human ▁flight ▁used ▁the ▁same ▁space craft ▁design ▁as ▁in ▁the ▁cre wed ▁miss ions