"First dog on an orbital spaceflight" NYT crossword answer is:
LAIKA (5 letters length)The answer for "First dog on an orbital spaceflight" crossword clue is listed above to help you solve the puzzle you are currently working on.
The first dog to be sent into orbit was Laika, a stray dog from the streets of Moscow, who was launched on Sputnik 2 in 1957. Laika was the first animal to orbit the Earth, and her mission paved the way for the first human spaceflight in 1961. Although Laika did not survive the mission, her legacy lives on as a symbol of the courage and determination of the early space pioneers.