Nov. 3, 1957: The flight of Laika

Today in the history of astronomy, Sputnik 2 launches the first living creature to space. | Published: November 3, 2026 Laika was the first living creature in Earth orbit, though unfortunately she was never expected to survive her flight. Credit: Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons Less than a month after the launch of Sputnik 1, the Soviets launched Sputnik 2. The mission was readied quickly in order to keep the propaganda momentum from Sputnik 1 and to coincide with the 40th anniversary of the Bolshevik Revolution. Carrying mixed-breed dog Laika, Sputnik 2 was the first flight to carry a living animal to Earth orbit. A small stray from the Moscow streets, Laika had undergone training to help her become accustomed her to the close quarters and gravity changes. Electrodes attached to the dog sent data back to Earth, for future research into the biological effects of space travel. Unfortunately, Laika died a few hours after takeoff – always the expected outcome of the mission, as the life-support systems on Sputnik 2 were imperfect and there was no plan for recovering the satellite or its passenger after launch. Sputnik 2 burned up on reentry in 1958, after its batteries died the previous year. In 2008, a statue commemorating Laika was erected in Moscow. Elisa Neckar is senior production editor of Astronomy magazine, and the editor of the Today in the History of Astronomy feature on Astronomy.com.