Laika, a mixed-breed stray from the streets of Russia, became the first living creature to orbit the Earth 60 years ago.
On November 3, 1957, the Soviet Union sent the dog into orbit in Sputnik 2 a month after kicking off the Space Age and Cold War space race against the United States.
The mission was hidden under a veil of secrecy amid several failed launches that resulted in the deaths of other dogs and protests from animal rights activists.
It was, ultimately, an ill-fated voyage for the stray. While Laika survived the launch, Soviet records state she died peacefully after four days. There are other claims the dog died from overheating five hours into the flight.
A monument to Laika stands in the yard of Russia’s Institute of Military Medicine, with Deputy Science Director Vladimir Sychev saying the dog was a trailblazer for space exploration.
"When Laika was sent to space, most people thought that going outside the atmosphere was impossible and that it caused imminent death. So it was necessary to collect data that simply proved that one doesn't die immediately in space," Mr Sychev said.
“In some sense she is always remembered, added Space Museum researcher Dmitri Velichko.
“Many products at the time were named after her, there was even a haircut named Laika. So she really affected the Soviet culture."
60 years since her mission, Laika’s legacy lives on.
