Dec 2022 A strategic and political challenge, the conquest of space generated intense competition between the US and the Soviet Union during the Cold War. In 1957 the Soviets were first to place a satellite, Sputnik, into orbit. A few weeks later a dog became the first living creature in space. Laika did not survive the journey. In 1961 Soviet astronaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human to orbit the Earth. 1963: his compatriot Valentina […]