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.
The first satellite in space was Russia's Sputnik satellite, carried by an R-7 rocket. The R-7 rocket was built by a team of German and Russian scientists led by Sergei Korolev. Sputnik was placed into orbit on October 4, 1957, months before the first U.S. satellite, Explorer 1. Korolev's team managed to create a rocket big enough to take Yuri Gagarin into space. Gagarin became the first man in space, but the U.S. astronaut, Neil Armstrong, became the first man on the moon. Learn more about Space Travel