Sputnik 2

Sputnik 2 was a Soviet spacecraft launched on 3 November 1957, carrying Laika, the first animal to orbit Earth. It had no system for returning her alive.

Laika: Laika was a Soviet space dog launched aboard Sputnik 2, becoming the first animal to orbit Earth. Her flight made Sputnik 2 the first spacecraft to carry a living passenger into orbit.
Space Race: The Space Race was the geopolitical and technological competition between the United States and Soviet Union during the Cold War. Sputnik 2's launch was an early, high-profile Soviet achievement in this competition.
Sputnik 2's impact on the Space Race: Sputnik 2's impact on the Space Race was the political and scientific response to its early orbital flight with a living passenger. Its launch extended the Soviet lead in headline-grabbing space milestones.
Laika's flight: Laika's flight was the 1957 orbital journey of the Soviet dog aboard Sputnik 2. Her experience is the mission's defining episode and a landmark in animal spaceflight.
Sputnik 1: Sputnik 1 was the first artificial satellite, launched by the Soviet Union on 4 October 1957. Its successful launch preceded Sputnik 2 and established the mission's technological and political context.
Sergei Korolev: Sergei Korolev was the chief Soviet rocket engineer who led the development of the R-7 and early space missions. Korolev's design organization developed the spacecraft and organized its launch.
Animal testing: Animal testing is the use of nonhuman animals in experiments to study biology, medicine, or technology. Laika's mission became a prominent case in debates about the ethics of experimentation.
Laika's death: Laika died aboard Sputnik 2 several hours after launch, when the spacecraft's cabin overheated. The capsule had no recovery system, and her death was initially concealed by Soviet accounts.
R-7 Semyorka: The R-7 Semyorka was the Soviet intercontinental ballistic missile that also served as a launch vehicle for early satellites. A modified R-7 launched Sputnik 2 into orbit.
OKB-1: OKB-1 was the Soviet design bureau led by Sergei Korolev, responsible for major early launch vehicles and spacecraft. The bureau built Sputnik 2 under an accelerated schedule.

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