Laïka was a stray dog from Moscow who became the first animal to orbit Earth. She was launched into space aboard the Soviet spacecraft Sputnik 2 on November 3, 1957. Laïka's mission was to gather data on the effects of space travel on living organisms, paving the way for future human spaceflight. Unfortunately, Laïka did not survive the mission. The technology at the time did not allow for her safe return, and she died a few hours after launch due to overheating. Laïka's journey raised ethical questions about animal testing in space exploration, leading to changes in how animals are treated in scientific research.