The true and poignant story of the first living being sent into space: a dog named Laïka. A historic, scientific saga in which several different stories are unfolding: that of the chief engineer of the Soviet space program, the Space Race between the USA and the USSR, and, of course, the story of Laika, the naughty dog who escaped being put down only to become a test guinea pig in the name of scientific progress. A historically accurate story, told with great aplomb.