Laika the dog was the first Earthling in space. The Soviet Union
launched her into orbit aboard Sputnik 2 in 1957. Soviet
cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin (right) became the first human in space
in 1961. The first American in space was Alan Shepard. Shepard
also was the fith American to walk on the Moon. American
Astronauts Frank Borman, Jim Lovell and William Anders were the
first humans to leave Earth orbit aboard Apollo 8 in 1968.