Belka and Strelka

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Belka (Белка, literally, "squirrel", or alternatively "Whitey") and Strelka (Стрелка, "Arrow") were dogs that spent a day in space aboard Korabl-Sputnik 2 (Sputnik 5), launched on 19 August 1960, before safely returning to Earth. They were the first higher living organisms to survive an orbital trip in outer space. They were accompanied by 42 mice, a grey rabbit, two rats, flies, and several plants and fungi. All passengers survived. Sputnik 5 made 17 revolutions around the Earth and spent 27 hours in orbit. These were the first Earth-born creatures to orbit Earth and return alive following earlier successful suborbital space flights, including fruit flies launched into space by the U.S. in 1947, and the launch of Dezik and Tsygan in 1951, among other Soviet space dogs. The objective of the mission was to check and understand the organisms' reactions to exposure to zero gravity in outer space. Strelka went on to have six puppies with a male dog named Pushok who participated in many ground...

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