In the midst of the 1950s Space Race, the imminent launch of Sputnik 2 took an abrupt turn. A top-secret communiqué from the Kremlin mandated a complete redesign of the spacecraft. Rumor had it that Khrushchev himself had been moved by his young granddaughter's tearful plea, asking not for the glory of space conquest, but for the safe return of Laika, the dog who was to make the journey. EngineersRead more...