Laika, a dog, was the first living being in space. She was not expected to return, and she died there. Laika (c. 1954 – November 3, 1957) was a Soviet space dog who became one of the first animals in space and the first animal to orbit the Earth. A stray dog from the streets of Moscow, she was selected to be the occupant of the Soviet spacecraft Sputnik 2 that was launched into outer space on November 3, 1957. After placing Laika in the container and before closing the hatch, the technicians kissed her nose and wished her bon voyage (safe journey), knowing that she would not survive the flight. Outside of the Soviet Union, Laika’s doomed mission was an outrage. The British, in particular, campaigned to stop the mission and dog owners held a moment of silence each day at 11:00 a.m. in quiet protest. Laika's survival was never expected, and she died within seven hours in space from overheating. It was an excruciating death. On April 11, 2008, a small monument in her honour was built near the military research facility in Moscow that prepared Laika's flight to space. It features a dog standing on top of a rocket. She also appears on the Monument to the Conquerors of Space in Moscow. #historyville