00:00Did you know that in 1961 two Soviet dogs were the first living beings to orbit the Earth and return safe and sound?
00:06safe?
00:07On August 19, 1960, the Soviet Union launched the Sputnik V spacecraft with Velka and Strelka, along with
00:14other animals and plants.
00:16Velka and Strelka orbited the Earth for 24 hours, completing 17 laps.
00:20Scientists monitored their vital signs and behavior.
00:24After a day in space, they returned safe and sound.
00:28This success proved that it was possible to send living beings into space and bring them back.
00:34Strelka had puppies after her return.
00:36One of them, Pusinka, was given to John F. Kennedy's daughter as a gesture of goodwill.
00:42Velka and Strelka became celebrities in the Soviet Union, appearing on postage stamps and in documentaries.
00:48His success helped pave the way for Yuri Gagarin's historic flight in 1961, the first human in space, a
00:55major step in space exploration.
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