Searched for
ANIMAL SPACEFLIGHT HISTORY
In 1952, Patricia and Mike rode an Aerobee 36 miles up at 2,000 mph; both monkeys returned safely after scientists compared seated and prone acceleration effects- In 1951, Yorick the monkey and 11 mice rode an Aerobee rocket to 236,000 feet; the flight showed animals could survive launch and landing, though Yorick died after touchdown
- In 1958, the US launched Gordo the squirrel monkey 300 miles above Earth; he endured 8.3 minutes of weightlessness and 40 g during re-entry, but died after his capsule sank at sea
- In 1969, NASA launched Bonnie the monkey for a planned 30 days in orbit; his condition deteriorated after about 8 days, and the mission was ended earlyIn 1969, a brave monkey named Bonnie embarked on a solo space voyage aboard Biosatellite III. Unfortunately, his mission was cut short due ...28 Aug, 2026, 03.30 PM IST
- In 1961, NASA sent Ham the chimpanzee 157 miles above Earth to test whether a primate could work in space; he completed a 16-minute flight and returned safelyChimpanzee Ham made history in 1961 when he soared into space aboard a Mercury-Redstone rocket. His mission aimed to assess the capabilitie...28 Aug, 2026, 01.30 PM IST
- On STS-51B, NASA flew 24 rats and 2 squirrel monkeys with Spacelab-3; one monkey showed space sickness while the rats returned with muscle lossIn 1985, Challenger carried rats and monkeys to study microgravity's effects. One monkey experienced space sickness, mirroring human astron...28 Aug, 2026, 01.20 PM IST
- In 1968, two Russian steppe tortoises travelled around the Moon before humans did. They survived a punishing 20G force while returning to EarthIn a remarkable journey, two Russian steppe tortoises embarked on a mission aboard Zond 5, orbiting the Moon in September 1968. This pionee...26 Aug, 2026, 10.37 PM IST
- In 1963, France sent a stray cat 154 km into space; Félicette survived the flight, was euthanized for research, and honoured with a bronze statueIn 1963, France sent stray cat Félicette 154 km into space, making her the first and only cat to travel beyond Earth. She survived the flig...24 Aug, 2026, 05.42 PM IST
- In 1968, two Afghan tortoises who beat humans to the Moon lost 10% of their weight - They flew around the moon on Soviet Zond 5 and returned alive 3 months before Apollo 8In September 1968, two tortoises made history as the first animals to orbit the Moon and safely return to Earth aboard the Soviet Zond 5 sp...24 Aug, 2026, 01.36 PM IST
- The heartbreaking story of Laika, the Russian space dog who circled Earth 2,570 timesIn 1957, Laika, a Moscow stray, became the first dog in orbit aboard Sputnik 2. Her mission aimed to study spaceflight effects on living be...16 Jan, 2026, 07.19 PM IST
- Russia launches animals into space: Here’s the purpose behind the missionRussia is set to launch Bion-M No. 2 biosatellite on August 20, 2025, from Baikonur Cosmodrome, will carry fruit flies, mice, plant seeds, ...19 Aug, 2025, 10.55 PM IST
- 10 Best Biography Books you should read to celebrate untold and inspiring life storiesDelve into the captivating world of biography books with our curated list of the best titles that offer profound insights into remarkable l...16 Jun, 2024, 08.08 PM IST
- What a fungus reveals about the Space programNow a new generation of rockets, engineers, scientists and explorers are ready to assault the sky.21 Sep, 2021, 02.24 PM IST
Load More
