The first living creature (larger than a microbe) to orbit the Earth (though not the first to reach space) was a female mongrel originally named "Kudryavka" (Little Curly), but later renamed "Laika" ("Barker"). Her true pedigree is unknown, although it is generally accepted that she was part husky or other Nordic breed, and possibly part terrier. NASA refers to Laika as a "part-Samoyed terrier". Laika was selected from ten candidates at the Air Force Institute of Aviation Medicine, because of her even temperament. She weighed about .