Laika - Dog of Outer Space

On October 4th, 1957, the U.S.S.R launched the Space Age with Sputnik 1. This spherical object was outfitted with two radio transmitters and at 23 inches in diameter, weighed a whopping (for it's size) 183 pounds (83.6 KG).

Thirty days after the launch of Sputnik 1, on November 3rd, 1957, the U.S.S.R shocked the world with Sputnik 2. What was so shocking? Sputnik 2's passenger.

Sputnik 2 carried the first ever living being to be launched into space. Laika, a small, mixed breed dog, was loaded into the satellite and hooked up to all kinds of life-support systems and monitoring devices. She orbitted the Earth for 10 days before she was put to sleep. No provisions had been made for a safe re-entry unfortunately.

Laika was a space pioneer, and is still remembered today, almost fifty years later. Way to go Laika!!