The Fate of Animals in Space Exploration In the early days of the space race, several animals (such as the dog Laika or the rhesus macaque Albert II) were sent into orbit to test the physical effects of spaceflight on living beings. No Return: Many of these animals never made it back alive. Laika's Story: Laika, for instance, became the first living creature to orbit the Earth, but her mission was designed as a one-way trip from the start. She died only a few hours after launch due to stress and overheating. Solitary Ends: These creatures paved the way for human spaceflight, yet they met their ends alone in the cold silence of the upper atmosphere or orbit, far away from the world they knew.
