What was the name of the female dog that traveled into space on the Sputnik 5 on August 19, 1960?

Laika?

Belka & Strelka were the dogs aboard Sp. 5.
Jenny, Laika was the very first dog which we know of launched into space in 1957 when I was an 11-year old (first year grammar school!) 'Laika' translates as 'Little Lemon', in English.

[This message was edited by Ritzmar on 02-16-03 at 06:18 AM.]

Thank you Ritz, we can't all know everything can we, I wasn't sure but couldn't find anything else (x)

Now if you were as old as me, Jenny, you would have remembered it from the first time! As you know, we are a nation of pet lovers, and I remember half of the nation being up in arms that a dog had been shot into space, ultimately to certain death. This made bigger news in certain quarters of which I was familiar than did the fact that the Russians had beaten the Yanks in the Space Race... sometimes some of us are not cleverer, just more ancient!

Strelka and Belka are correct!

Strelka, which means ''Little Arrow'' in Russian, and her male companion Belka, returned safely after a day in orbit. Strelka later gave birth to puppies, one of which was presented to President John F. Kennedy as a gift.