Her name was Laika, and she was just a mutt. A Russian mutt, whose name in Cyrillic meant "Barker". She, along with two other dogs were being trained for an extended trip into space, but it was Laika whose fate would be sealed when the Soviet leader Nikita Kruschev demanded something be launched on the 40th anniversary of the Bolshevik Revolution.

There was a more advanced space capsule under construction, but it would not be ready until December. So on Oct.10 or 12, plans were drawn up and immediately put into production, for a launch in only four weeks. There was no research and no testing done.

Laika, who had been trained to tolerate long periods in a small space, was hooked up to various systems that would monitor her blood pressure, heart rate, etc. Food and water would be dispensed for her in gel form.

Given the technology of the time, there was no chance the dog would return to Earth alive, and the Russians stated that when their data had been gathered, she would be humanely euthanized through medication in a specific food.

On launch, the capsule did not separate from its rocket. For many years, Russians claimed that they had monitored the dog's vital signs and had proof she was eating, for six days into the orbit of Earth. At that time, system failures overheated the cabin, and they claimed that she had died. Four days later, all battery systems were depleted, and the capsule continued to orbit Earth until April of 1958 when it burned on re-entry into the atmosphere.

Not until the late 1990s, was it revealed by Soviet scientists, that no vital signs had been received after six hours of flight. Laika had died from stress and overheating due to faulty construction of the capsule.