#29: The First Animal to Orbit Earth
The Space Race included a whole lot of “firsts” for the Soviet Union and the United States. The Soviet Union was the first country to send an animal into space for a full orbit of Earth. Laika was the first animal to orbit Earth on November 3, 1957. Laika was a dog found on the streets of Moscow who was taken in and trained for the pivotal flight mission.
While Laika’s orbit in space was historic and pivotal, it’s also pretty dark. Researchers sent Laika on this mission with the intention of finding out how long a living being could survive in space with current technology. It was a given that Laika would pass away while orbiting the Earth. Scientists did not yet know how the human body would react if sent into space, and Laika’s mission was used to provide answers. Rest in peace, Laika.