Laika the Space Dog
The Soviets then built upon that achievement and created Sputnik 2, which launched only a single month after the first one. It held Laika. With this pup on board, she was the first-ever creature to go to orbit, but she died during the mission.
Laika, Space Dog
Laying the Groundwork
Overall, the Soviets knew Laika wouldn’t live through the trip. While it was grim, they sent another two dogs in 1960. They came back alive, which was a giant step forward in the space program for the USSR. This laid the groundwork for all humans.
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Laying The Groundwork