Laika was a friendly stray found in Moscow and believed to be just three years old when she was sent on a doomed one-way ...

Despite the small dog's unique status as one of the first animals in space ... Russian for 'Little Curly', Limonchik translating to 'Little Lemon', and Zhuchka, meaning 'Little Bug'. Laika ...

Laika is remembered by many for being the first living creature to be sent into space, on November 3, 1957. Laika was the only crew member of the second artificial satellite in history, Sputnik II.