Russian dog Laika was sent to space 68 years ago, never returned
Laika, a stray dog from Moscow, was sent to space aboard Soviet spacecraft Sputnik 2 on November 3, 1957. She was chosen for the mission because of her calm temperament and ability to withstand extreme conditions. Laika was launched into orbit to test life expectancy in outer space, but died within hours of the launch due to overheating and stress.