Sixty-eight years ago, on November 3, 1957, the world witnessed a historic yet heartbreaking moment when a small stray dog from Moscow, named Laika, became the first living creature to orbit Earth. Her journey aboard the Soviet spacecraft Sputnik 2 marked a monumental step in space exploration, but it came at a tragic cost, as Laika never made it back home.
Laika, a mixed-breed stray discovered on the streets of Moscow, was chosen for the mission because of her calm temperament and ability to withstand extreme conditions. At the height of the Cold War space race, the Soviet Union was determined to achieve another milestone following the success of Sputnik 1. However, the technology for a safe return to Earth had not yet been developed.
WATCH VIDEO:
Laika was launched into orbit by the Soviet space scientists to test the life expectancy in outer space. The Soviet media initially claimed she survived for several days in space, but decades later, it was revealed that she died within hours of the launch due to overheating and stress.
Despite the tragedy, Laika’s mission paved the way for human spaceflight. Her sacrifice provided crucial data about the effects of space travel on living organisms, helping scientists prepare for future missions that would eventually carry humans beyond Earth’s atmosphere.
Today, Laika is remembered as a symbol of courage and sacrifice in the pursuit of scientific discovery. In 2008, Russia unveiled a monument in her honor near Moscow’s military research facility, depicting her standing atop a rocket.
While her story remains one of the most poignant in space history, Laika’s legacy continues to remind humanity of both the ambition and ethical dilemmas that have defined our journey to the stars.
