Dogs in Space: Meet the Canine Heroes Who Paved the Way for Space Travel

Before man stepped foot into space, his best friend came first: dogs. It wasn't a vacation for these pups, though, as they were shipped in outer space as guinea pigs for the Soviets, who were locked in an intense race to the skies against the Americans.

According to a report from Phys Org, the Soviets sent more than 20 dogs into outer space between the 1950s and 1960s. Both NASA and the Soviets conducted animal testing throughout the decade, with subjects that included fruit flies, mice, hamsters, guinea pigs, cats, dogs, frogs, goldfish and monkeys.