Pioneering Pups
The Soviets chose dogs for their space experiments of the time. Dezik and Tsygan were the two unfortunate pups forced into space in 1951. That spacecraft never made it into orbit, but the animals did live through the endeavor.
Sputnik 1
During 1957, the Space Race intensified, and the Soviets pushed ahead. In October of that year, they sent Sputnik 1 into space. It was an incredible feat that marked the first time a man-made satellite went into orbit!