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*''Sputnik II'' carried a dog named Laika (Russian:  Лайка) into space on November 3, 1957.  Laika was originally a stray, and she died a while after the launch.

*''Sputnik II'' carried a dog named Laika (Russian:  Лайка) into space on November 3, 1957.  Laika was originally a stray, and she died a while after the launch.

Although Sputnik was ultimately responsible for the Space Race and the Missile Gap, it should be noted that it being launched first was due to a conscious decision on the part of then-President [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]], as he worried that America launching a spy satellite first, due to it technically contradicting some aspects of international law, would result in several Soviet-orchestrated international protests in response.<ref>''The Politically Incorrect Guide to the 1960s'', pp 118-9.</ref>

Although Sputnik was ultimately responsible for the Space Race and the Missile Gap, it should be noted that it being launched first was due to a conscious decision on the part of then-President [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]], as he worried that America launching a spy satellite first, due to it technically contradicting some aspects of international law,<ref>https://www.csmonitor.com/1996/1023/102396.feat.science.1.html</ref> would result in several Soviet-orchestrated international protests in response.<ref>''The Politically Incorrect Guide to the 1960s'', pp 118-9.</ref> He also prevented Werner von Braun from doing a planned launch of a satellite on January 1957, well ahead of Sputnik's launch.<ref>https://books.google.com/books?id=5bIy6RVkL3sC&lpg=PA27&pg=PA27#v=onepage&q&f=false</ref>

== See also ==

== See also ==