The name of the dog that became the first animal to be in space in 1957 was Laika. Laika was a stray dog found on the streets of Moscow, Russia, and she was chosen for the Soviet Union's space program. On November 3, 1957, aboard the spacecraft Sputnik 2, Laika became the first living creature to orbit the Earth. Unfortunately, the mission was one-way, and Laika did not survive the journey. Her sacrifice paved the way for future human space travel and contributed to our understanding of the effects of space travel on living organisms.