On the 11th of April 2008 (51 one years after the event), a monument was unveiled in Moscow to the first Soviet space dog (and cosmonaut) ‘Laika’,  On November 3rd of November 1957, Laika was successfully fired into space aboard the small Soviet space-craft named ‘Sputnik 2’.

At this time, the Soviet Communist System was far in advance in its technological development, than its capitalist counter-part in the West.  This Communist success sent shock-waves around the world!  Laika orbited the earth – becoming the first life-form from earth to visit space – but died after a few hours due to over-heating in her capsule – which the Soviet had been desperately trying to bring safely back to earth.

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http://www.qingdaonews.com/gb/content/2008-04/14/content_7836728.htm