Laika was a stray dog from Moscow who became the first living creature to orbit Earth. She was launched aboard the Soviet spacecraft Sputnik 2 on November 3, 1957. This historic mission was part of the Soviet Union's space program, designed to test the feasibility of sending living beings into space.
Laika's journey was groundbreaking but also tragic. At the time, the technology to safely return a spacecraft from orbit had not been developed, so her survival was never expected. Initially, it was reported that she survived for several days, but later revelations confirmed that she died just a few hours after launch due to overheating and stress.
Despite the sad outcome, Laika's mission provided valuable data on the effects of space travel on living organisms, paving the way for future human spaceflights. Her story remains a poignant reminder of the sacrifices made during the early days of space exploration.
