Space Facts: These 10 animals are astronauts, have travelled to space before humans, pictures are witness to this!

1. Monkeys who went to space and returned

Monkeys were among the first animals to be sent into space. Albert I was launched into space in 1948 aboard a V-2 rocket. Unfortunately, many of the initial attempts were unsuccessful, and the monkeys suffered from numerous complications. However, two rhesus monkeys – Miss Baker and Able, survived their 1959 trip, making them the first monkeys to return safely from space.

2. Famous female dog Laika

The Soviet Union used dogs for its space experiments, the most famous being Laika. In 1957, Laika became the first animal to orbit Earth aboard Sputnik 2, but did not survive. Later missions included Belka and Strelka, who safely orbited Earth and returned in 1960, providing valuable data on the effects of space travel on large mammals.

3. When the cat went into space

On October 18, 1963, France sent the first cat, Félicette, into space. Félicette was recovered safely after her mission. Félicette, a French cat, became the first cat to go into space in 1963. Her mission helped scientists study the effects of space travel on the brain.

4. Pigs travel in space: In 1961, the Soviet Union launched guinea pigs aboard its space mission, Korabl-Sputnik 4. The animals were part of biomedical research to see how mammals react to space conditions. They were safely returned to Earth, adding to the knowledge of space biology.

5. Rats have also traveled to space

Mice have been frequent travelers to space since the 1950s. These tiny rodents provide insight into how microgravity affects biological systems, including muscle and bone loss. NASA has sent mice on missions to the International Space Station (ISS) for a variety of research purposes.

6. The Frog: In 1970 NASA launched two bullfrogs as part of the Orbiting Frog Otolith Mission. The experiment was designed to study how space flight affected the frogs’ vestibular system, which helps them maintain balance. The mission obtained important data on how microgravity affects balance in vertebrates.

astronaut chimpanzee

A chimpanzee, Ham, became the first primate to survive in space during the Mercury Redstone mission on January 31, 1961. Ham’s success opened the way for Alan Shepard’s historic human spaceflight.

Marfusha Rabbit

A rabbit named Marfusha was part of a Soviet space mission in 1959. Accompanied by two dogs, Marfusha flew at high altitude and managed to survive the trip. Rabbits have provided unique insights into how their cardiovascular and respiratory systems respond to space conditions.