Russia said today that its scientists are planning to use anthropod apes as the next passengers for space vehicles. The statement came as a result of the successful launching of Sputnik II.

Canine cosmonaut Laika rests comfortably inside the Soviet satellite Sputnik 2 before being blasted into orbit in 1957.Credit: BETTMANN ARCHIVE It was 10 years into the Cold War, and the Soviet Union ...

On November 3, 1957, a Soviet space dog named Laika became the first animal to orbit Earth. Laika was a 3-year-old stray husky-spitz mix from the streets of Moscow, and she was recruited by the Soviet ...

In the late 1950s, Moscow’s streets were full of stray dogs that adapted to freezing nights and scarce food. One small mixed‑breed stood out to Soviet researchers for her calm nature and size. She was ...

Sixty-eight years ago, on November 3, 1957, the world witnessed a historic yet heartbreaking moment when a small stray dog from Moscow, named Laika, became the first living creature to orbit Earth.