Black-and-white photographs shared by some social media users are said to show Laika, a 13-pound stray from Moscow who became the first dog in space after being launched into low orbit aboard Sputnik ...

In the late 1950s, Moscow’s streets were full of stray dogs that adapted to freezing nights and scarce food. One small mixed‑breed stood out to Soviet researchers for her calm nature and size. She was ...

The poignant tale of Laika, the little dog sent into space to orbit Earth with no return journey planned, has recently reignited sorrow online. Laika, a mixed-breed dog from Russia, was one among many ...

In 1957, Laika, a Moscow stray, became the first dog in orbit aboard Sputnik 2. Her mission aimed to study spaceflight ...

On Oct. 1, 1958, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration—commonly known as NASA—opened its doors for business. The inauguration came months after U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower signed the ...

Laika was found as a stray wandering the streets of Moscow. Soviet scientists chose to use Moscow strays since they assumed that such animals had already learned to endure conditions of extreme cold ...

1. A path of burning light -- 2. Animals in the heavens -- 3. The making of a space dog -- 4. Scouting the atmosphere -- 5. A face in the window -- 6. First around the Earth -- Epilogue Summary The ...