Laika flew on Sputnik 2 before recovery ships existed
In November 1957 the Soviet dog Laika became the first animal to orbit Earth aboard Sputnik 2 — a one-way flight launched before anyone had a working reentry-and-recovery plan for living crew.
Telemetry tracked her heartbeat as the cabin heated. The mission proved a living passenger could survive launch and early orbit, even as it raised lasting ethical questions.
Orbit came before a ride home. Laika’s flight marked both a biological milestone and a hard lesson about rushing life into space.
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