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

A model of Laika inside a replica of Sputnik 2 at the Central House of Aviation and Cosmonautics in Moscow. | Mladen Antonov/AFP via Getty Images In March, I visited the Lowell Observatory — the ...

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 ...

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 ...

Sputnik 2 was launched by the Soviets shortly after Sputnik 1, with its rapid preparation intended to sustain propaganda momentum and align with the 40th anniversary of the Bolshevik Revolution. This ...

In March, I visited the Lowell Observatory — the astronomical research site where Pluto was first discovered — in Flagstaff, Arizona. I stood in line to squint through telescopes at Jupiter and the ...