Laika, the lovable mutt, a stray found on the streets of Moscow,is the world's most favorite four-legged astronaut. She was launched aboard Sputnik 2, November 3, 1957 just a month after Sputnik 1 made space history.
In its rush to keep the advantage it had gained in the space race, the Soviet Union hurried to expand the gap by putting a human into space first. They had already been putting dogs into high altitude rockets and used that research to launch Laika.
Laika's historic trip is still controversial, even today, since the Soviets knew there was no way for her to safely return to Earth. It is generally accepted that she survived only a few hours and suffered a cruel death, due to panic and heat.
However, she is also revered and celebrated today:
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