Laika became the first living being to orbit Earth in 1957 aboard Sputnik 2. The mission proved that a mammal could survive launch and brief time in microgravity, but the spacecraft was not designed for recovery. Laika died within hours due to overheating, making her flight both a scientific milestone and an enduring ethical controversy. Follow @spaceeves #SpaceHistory #Laika #Sputnik2 #SpaceEve | SpaceEve

Remembering The Sputnik 1 Launch: The First Artificial Satellite to Enter Earth Orbit

Sputnik 2 ~ Everything You Need to Know with Photos | Videos

The Moment of History on Instagram: "On November 3, 1957, humanity took a step that forever changed the history of space exploration. On this day, the Soviet Union launched the second artificial satellite into Earth’s orbit — Sputnik-2. Its main “crew member” was an ordinary Moscow stray dog named Laika, the first living being to complete an orbital flight around Earth. Why Laika? Soviet scientists specifically selected street dogs — strays were better adapted to cold, stress, and hunger. Laika