The famous dog that was the first to go into space is Laika. A Soviet space dog and stray from the streets of Moscow, Laika was launched aboard Sputnik 2 on November 3, 1957. This mission marked a significant milestone in space exploration, as she became the first living creature to orbit Earth. Tragically, Laika did not survive the mission, but her journey paved the way for future human spaceflights, highlighting both the achievements and the ethical considerations of using animals in scientific research.