I only recently realized Laika became such "A Thing" for Red Scare reasons. Long before Laika, the macaque named Albert was killed by the US Space program, and the subsequent primates who -- having been denied the dignity of being called something beyond version numbers -- were named Albert II - V, all either died in transit or, in II's case, on impact with the Earth (I think V burnt up on re-entry, but I'm not sure). It was only with Yorick ("Albert VI") that one actually got to breath Earth's air after reaching space, which took place after a pair of Soviet dogs survived their return.

Not that Laika's case wasn't sad, but I think it's comparatively overblown to talk about the Cruel Soviets.

Edit: I feel obliged to acknowledge the irony that the one named Yorick survived where all his predecessors died.

Wait so like we also think making theoretical orbiting space memorials in far off planets would be wrong? God I’m woefully uneducated on the subject of space pollution, I’m sorry for having this kind of liberalism everybody. I’ll try to educate myself before I speak next time