In 1966, Xiao Bao (小豹, “Little Leopard”), a two-year-old mixed-breed dog, became China’s first canine space traveler aboard the T-7A (S2) biological rocket. Selected from over 100 circus-bred puppies for her resilience, intelligence, and calm temperament, Xiao Bao endured rigorous training and extreme conditions—including noise over 100 decibels and intense G-forces. On July 15, after a tearful farewell with her devoted handler Zhao Xiuhua, she launched into suborbital flight, reaching 70 km altitude before returning safely 29 minutes later. Her bravery, alongside fellow space dog Shanshan, laid the biological groundwork for China’s future human spaceflight program.