24th of June, 1954, Soviet space dogs Lisa (Лиса, “Fox”) and Ryzhik (Рыжик, “Ginger”), as part of the preliminary suborbital flight program of the nascent Soviet Space Program, flew to an altitude of 100 km above the earth, right at the edge of space.
At that altitude, Lisa was ejected out of the cabin via a steam-catapult (second GIF), becoming the first living being to enter the airlessness of space, where a specially-made parachute ensured her safe landing and subsequent recovery (5th GIF).
Meanwhile, as the space capsule descended, Ginger was ejected at an altitude of 45 km, travelling almost at the speed of sound during his free fall, where his parachute ensured his subsequent safe landing.
For their efforts, both dogs earned the best sausages the scientists and caretakers of the program could provide.
Sadly, Lisa would later die alongside the first soviet space dog, Dezik, during another test flight, which helped create the policy of immediately retiring from space service any dog that managed to survive their first flight.
