The Sputnik 6 satellite was launched in 1960 as part of the Soviet Union's space program. It was the first satellite to carry a living creature into space, a dog named Laika. The launch was a major milestone in the history of space exploration, as it marked the first time
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Sputnik 1, often referred to as simply Sputnik, was the first artificial Earth satellite. It was launched into an elliptical low Earth orbit by the Soviet Union on 4 October 1957 as part of the Soviet space program. It sent a radio signal back to Earth for three weeks before its three silver-zinc batteries became depleted. Aerodynamic drag caused it to fall back into the atmosphere on 4 January 1958.