A Symbol of Soviet Space Exploration: The Russian Stray Dog that Outpaced Humans to Reach Orbit

The successful launch of Sputnik I on October 4, 1957, marked a significant milestone as it was the first man-made satellite to orbit the Earth. Following this achievement, Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev tasked engineers with another mission. Engineer Georgi Grechko recounted Khrushchev’s words, expressing surprise at the Soviet Union’s success over the Americans and requesting that something new be launched in time for the anniversary of the Bolshevik Revolution on November 7.