On November 3, 1957, Laika, a stray dog from Moscow, became the first living creature to orbit Earth, but at a terrible cost.

1. Dogs Laika: A small stray dog from Moscow became the first animal to orbit the Earth in 1957. Laika's mission marked a significant milestone in space exploration. Although Laika did not survive the ...

Before Fram2, a 1963 Soviet mission called Vostok 6 — carrying Valentina Tereshkova, the first woman to travel to space — came the closest to a polar orbit, flying at a 65-degree inclination.