what was the first dog in space
Nov. 3, 1957: The Soviet Union sends the first living creature into orbit. It was a Space Race victory that would have broken Sarah McLachlanâs heart. On this day, Nov. 3, in 1957, the Soviet Union launched the first-ever living animal into orbit: a dog named Laika. The flight was meant to test the safety of space travel for humans, but it was a guaranteed suicide mission for the dog, since technology hadnât advanced as far as the return trip.