Laika the rocket dog

Laika was a space dog who became one of the first animals in space, and the first animal to orbit the Earth. Laika was a stray mongrel from the streets of Moscow, selected to be the occupant of the Soviet spacecraft Sputnik 2 that was launched into low orbit on 3 November 1957. No capacity for her recovery and survival was planned, and she died of overheating. Laika’s story is a sad one, but her legacy is an important one. She paved the way for future space exploration and helped to advance scientific knowledge. She will always be remembered as a brave pioneer who made the ultimate sacrifice in the name of science. I made a short video memorializing her sacrifice.