November 3

November 3, 1957 - The Soviet Union launched Sputnik 2 carrying Laika the dog, the first animal to enter orbit and one of many Soviet space dogs to die in space. Soviet scientists were so distraught at their responsibility for Laika's death that they discontinued the practice of sending animals into space as test subjects and began sending up political dissenters, who were deemed significantly more expendable and less adorable than space dogs.