Move over, Pigs in Space – the Russian Star Dogs are headed for outer space! Russian animators are getting ready to launch the legendary Belka and Strelka into orbit again. With their good graces, the world-famous historical event will turn into an exciting movie with elements of action, comedy and melodrama.

MAXIM GLADIKOV, digital animator: "This is Belka, one of the main characters. She's a circus performer. A bit naive, a bit of a fool, and you can tell. She's never been to a dump, while Strelka lived there. Strelka is your regular street dog, plain and a little off-the-wall."

Keeping company with Belka and Strelka will be some characters unknown to history, such as the pickpocket Lyonya the Rat. These flamboyant types speak in the voices of Yevgeny Mironov and Sergei Garmash. The flirty Belka will be dubbed by Inga Oboldina, and Yelena Yakovleva practically fell in love with the mutt Strelka. The actress is a dog-lover of many years, so providing the voice for the canine charmer came naturally.

YELENA YAKOVLEVA, National Actress of the Russian Federation: "I feel like the sound of my voice in an empty space is not as rich as in the sketches. I realize that it will be worked with and sound great in the end, but I want to do everything at once: to talk, pant, scratch, look for fleas, and so on. Because she's such a simple, steadfast, strong creature."

The authors have eliminated most of the Soviet attributes from the doggy space odyssey and added something of their own to dress it up, but overall they didn't stray too far from the historical truth.

SVYATOSLAV USHAKOV, production director: "There'll be a flight and there'll be a return, so the main things are going to happen. They won't go to another planet and socialize with Martians. It's all pretty close to actual events."

At the moment, the Star Dogs are far from space feats: their computer bodies are just learning to walk, speak and move their animated hair. The Cinematic Flight Control Center requires a year and a half more of training. On January 9, 2009, Belka and Strelka will be solemnly launched on a space trip across the silver screen.