craft ' s ▁ 6 4 th ▁orbit ▁the ▁thrust ers ▁fired ▁and ▁sent ▁it ▁into ▁an ▁even ▁higher ▁orbit . ▁The ▁orbit ▁eventually ▁decay ed , ▁and ▁it ▁re - enter ed ▁the ▁atmosphere ▁several ▁years ▁later . ▁ ▁V ost ok ▁ 1 K ▁ ▁The ▁next ▁six ▁launch es ▁were ▁all ▁of ▁the ▁V ost ok ▁ 1 K ▁design , ▁equ ipped ▁with ▁life - support ▁facilities , ▁and ▁planned ▁to ▁be ▁recovered ▁after ▁orbit . ▁The ▁first ▁space craft ▁launched ▁on ▁July ▁ 2 8 , ▁ 1 9 6 0 ▁carried ▁two ▁space ▁dogs ▁named ▁Ch ay ka ▁and ▁Lis ich ka . ▁An ▁explos ion ▁destroyed ▁the ▁space craft ▁shortly ▁after ▁launch , ▁killing ▁both ▁dogs , ▁and ▁the ▁mission ▁was ▁not ▁given ▁a ▁name . ▁The ▁next ▁mission , ▁designated ▁Kor abl - S put nik ▁ 2 , ▁was ▁launched ▁on ▁August ▁ 1 9 , ▁ 1 9 6 0 , ▁carrying ▁two ▁more ▁dogs , ▁Bel ka ▁and ▁St rel ka , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁a ▁variety ▁of ▁other ▁bi ological ▁spec im ens ▁such ▁as ▁m ice , ▁insect s , ▁and ▁stri ps ▁of ▁human ▁skin . ▁This ▁mission ▁was ▁successful , ▁and ▁Bel ka ▁and ▁St rel ka ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁living ▁be ings ▁recovered ▁from ▁orbit . ▁The ▁space craft ▁was ▁only ▁the ▁second ▁object ▁ever ▁to ▁have ▁been ▁recovered ▁from ▁orbit , ▁the ▁first ▁being ▁the ▁return ▁caps ule ▁of ▁the ▁American ▁Disc over er ▁ 1