oct 1, 1957 - First dog in space
Description:
On November 3, 1957, the first dog in space was launched aboard the Soviet spacecraft Sputnik 2. Her name was Laika. Laika was a stray dog found on the streets of Moscow and trained for the mission only a few weeks before launch. She was fitted with a biomedical sensor suit and food and water in gel form to sustain her during the one-way journey. The spacecraft orbited Earth for about six hours before it burned upon re-entry, and unfortunately, Laika did not survive. The mission proved that living organisms could survive in space. However, Laika's sacrifice sparked controversy and animal rights concerns, leading to new regulations for animal safety in space missions.
Added to timeline:
Date:
Images:
![]()