Beloved Dogs That Became Heroes in History

Soviet space scientists picked a stray mongrel off the streets of Moscow for the Sputnik 2 mission in 1957. They named the small female dog Laika, which translates to Barker. The satellite launched into space on November 3, 1957, making Laika the first living creature to orbit the Earth. Technicians knew the spacecraft lacked the technology for a safe return to the ground. Her journey provided the first real data about how living organisms react to space flight environments, which helped scientists prepare for human space travel.