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Laika The first animal in space: Laika (USSR) Laika, the first animal ever sent to space, rode to orbit in Sputnik II on the 3rd of November, 1957. Laika (nicknamed Muttnik by American journalists) had been a stray dog —around three years old — rounded up from the Moscow streets and trained for space flight. She was carried aloft in a capsule which remained attached to the converted SS-6 intercontinental ballistic missile which rocketed her to orbit. Laika was supported inside the satellite by a harness that allowed some movement and access to food and water. She captured the hearts of people around the world as the batteries that operated her life-support system ran down and the capsule air ran out. Life slipped away from Laika a few days into her journey. Later, Sputnik II fell into the atmosphere and burned on April 14, 1958. Today, Laika again captures the hearts of people who see a monument erected 40 years after her space flight by the Russians to honour fallen cosmonauts at Star City outside Moscow. The likeness of Laika can be seen peeping out from behind the cosmonauts in the monument. Laika is also remembered on a plaque at the Moscow research centre where she was trained. Check that you understand what these words mean in this document Orbit: the curved path through which objects in space move around a planet or star. To nickname: to give someone a descriptive name in addition to the one belonging to an individual (e.g. Muttnik). Stray (animal): a pet that does not have a home. To round-up: to collect. Aloft: in the air. (Battery) to run down: to become weak.