@scaredencounter on Instagram: "Laika the space dog was a Soviet stray dog who became the first living creature to orbit Earth. She was launched aboard Sputnik 2 on November 3, 1957, marking a historic moment in space exploration. Laika was found wandering the streets of Moscow and chosen for the mission because of her calm temperament and small size. Sadly, the technology to safely return a spacecraft from orbit didn’t exist yet, so the mission was one-way. Although the Soviets initially claime

60 years ago today, a Soviet street dog became the first animal to orbit Earth

How Did Laika the Dog Wind Up Being the First Animal in Space?