If youâre thinking of splashing out on a new ride, why not check out some of our London Cyclist reader comments on what to consider when buying a new bike. Of course, if youâre well and truly happy with the ride youâve got, weâd love to hear what material your frame is made of, and why you think it tops the restâ¦.
Nov. 3, 1957: The Soviet Union sends the first living creature into orbit. It was a Space Race victory that would have broken Sarah McLachlanâs heart. On this day, Nov. 3, in 1957, the Soviet Union launched the first-ever living animal into orbit: a dog named Laika. The flight was meant to test the safety of space travel for humans, but it was a guaranteed suicide mission for the dog, since technology hadnât advanced as far as the return trip.
During the 1950s and 1960s the USSR used dogs for sub-orbital and orbital space flights to determine whether human spaceflight was feasible. In this period, the Soviet Union launched missions with passenger slots for at least 57 dogs. The number of dogs in space is smaller, as some dogs flew more than once.