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Animals in space originally served to test the survivability of , Soviet Union , France , China and Japan . 1940S The first animals intentionally sent into space were Fruit Flies which were sent along with Corn seeds aboard a U.S.-launched V2 Rocket in mid July, 1946 . The purpose of the experiment was to explore the effects of radiation exposure at high altitudes. Some further V2 missions carried biological samples including Moss . Albert II in a U.S. launched V2 became the first Monkey In Space on June 14 , 1949 (after the failure of the original Albert's mission). Albert II died on impact after a parachute failure. Numerous monkeys of several species were flown by the U.S. in the 1950s and 60s. Monkeys were implanted with sensors to measure vital signs and many were under anesthesia during launch. 1950S On August 31 , 1950 the U.S. launched a Mouse into space (137 km) aboard a V2 (the Albert V flight which unlike the Albert I-IV flights did not have a monkey). The U.S. launched several other mice in this decade but the first mouse was the only one which survived. On January 29 , 1951 , the Soviet Union launched the R-1 IIIA-1 flight, carrying the Dog s Tsygan (, "Gypsy") and Dezik () into space (but not into orbit). The U.S. launched mice aboard spacecraft later that year; however, they failed to reach the altitude for true spaceflight. , the first mammal from Earth to orbit the planet is shown here aboard .]] The first animal in orbit was the Soviet dog Laika onboard Sputnik 2 on November 3 , 1957 . Laika died during the flight. At least 10 other dogs were launched into orbit and numerous others on sub-orbital flights before April 1961 when Yuri Gagarin became the first man in space. (See Russian Space Dogs ) On December 13 , 1958 , a Jupiter IRBM , AM-13, was launched from Cape Canaveral , Florida with a U.S. Navy trained South American squirrel monkey named "Gordo" onboard. The nosecone recovery parachute failed to operate and "Gordo" did not survive the flight. Telemetry data sent back during the flight showed that the monkey survived the 10g of launch, 8 minutes of weightlessness and 40g of reentry at 10,000 miles per hour. The nosecone sank 1,302 Nm downrange from Cape Canaveral and was not recovered. Monkey s Able and Baker became the first monkeys to survive spaceflight after their 1959 flight. On May 28 , 1959 , aboard Jupiter IRBM AM-18, were a 7 pound (3.18 kg) American-born Rhesus Monkey , "Able" and an 11 ounce (310 g) Black-capped Squirrel Monkey from Peru, "Baker". The monkeys rode in the nosecone of the missile to an altitude of 360 miles (579 km) and a distance of 1,700 miles (2,735 km) down the Atlantic Missile Range from Cape Canaveral, Florida. They withstood forces 38 times the normal pull of gravity and were weightless for about 9 minutes. A top speed of 10,000 mph (16,093 km/h) was reached during their 16 minute flight. The monkeys survived the flight in good condition. "Able" died four days after the flight while undergoing surgery to remove an infected medical electrode, from a reaction to the anesthesia. "Baker" lived until November 29 , 1984 at the US Space And Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama . 1960S On into space. Enos The Chimp became the first non-human primate in orbit on November 29 , 1961 in another Mercury capsule, this time on an Atlas Rocket , Mercury-Atlas 5 . The Soviet Union in the Vostok 3A flights of March 1961 launched mice and, for the first time, Guinea Pig s and Frog s (northern Leopard Frog s). France flew the first Rat into space on February 22 , 1961 . Two further rats were flown in October , 1962 . France launched Felix the Cat into space on October 18 , 1963 . The cat had electrodes implanted into its head to measure neural impluses. Felix was recovered alive but the next cat in space was not. The final French animal launches were of two monkeys in March , 1967 . China launched mice and rats in 1964 and 1965 and two dogs in 1966. The United States launched Biosatellite I in 1966 and Biosatellite I/II in 1967 with fruit flies, Parasitic Wasp s, Flour Beetle s and frog eggs along with Bacteria , Amoebae , plants and Fungi . The first Tortoise in space and the first animal of any kind in deep space was launched September 14 , 1968 by the Soviet Union. The Horsfield's Tortoise was sent on a circumlunar voyage along with Wine Flies , Meal Worm s and other biological specimens. The capsule was recovered at sea September 21 . The United States launched the monkey Bonny in 1969 on the first multi-day primate mission, one of four U.S. monkey missions in the 1960s. The Soviet Union continued launching dogs in this decade. In total in the 1950s and 60s, the Soviet Union launched missions with passenger slots for at least 57 dogs. The actual number of dogs in space is smaller as some dogs flew more than once. (See Russian Space Dogs ) 1970S Two bullfrogs were launched on a one way mission on the Orbiting Frog Otolith Satellite on November 9 , 1970 to better understand space motion sickness. Apollo 16 on April 16 , 1972 carried Nematode s and Apollo 17 , launched on December 7 , 1972 carried five Pocket Mice , although one died on the circumlunar trip. Skylab 3 carried pocket mice and the first Fish in space ( Mummichog ), and the first Spider s in space, Cross Spider s. The U.S. also flew mummichog on the Apollo-Soyuz mission. The Soviets flew a number of Bion Program missions which consisted of satellites with biological cargoes. On these launches they flew tortoises, rats, and mummichog. On Soyuz 20 , launched November 17 , 1975 , tortoises set the duration record for an animal in space when they spent 90.5 days in space. Salyut 5 on June 22 , 1976 carried tortoises and a fish, a Zebra Danio . 1980S The Soviet Union sent 8 monkeys into space in the 80's on Bion flights while the U.S. sent two aboard Spacelab 3 on the Space Shuttle along with 24 rats, and Stick Insect eggs. Bion flights also flew zebra danio, fruit flies, rats, stick insect eggs and the first Newt s in space. 1990S Four monkeys flew aboard the last Bion flights of the Soviet Union as well as frogs and fruit flies. The Foton Program flights carried dormant Brine Shrimp , newts, fruit flies, and Desert Beetle s. ]] China launched guinea dogs in 1990. Toyohiro Akiyama , a Japanese journalist carried Japanese Tree Frog s with him during his trip to the Mir space station in December , 1990 . Other biological experiments aboard Mir involved Quail eggs. Japan launched its first animals into space on March 18 , 1995 : a species of newt. The U.S. during the 1990s carried Cricket s, mice, rats, frogs, newts, fruit flies, Snail s, Carp , Medaka , Oyster Toadfish , Sea Urchin s, Swordtail Fish , Gypsy Moth eggs, stick insect eggs and quail eggs aboard the Space Shuttle. 2000S The last flight of Space Shuttle Columbia in 2003 carried Silkworm s, Golden Orb Spider s, Carpenter Bee s, Harvester Ant s, and Japanese Killifish . Nematode s ( C. Elegans ) from one experiment were found still alive in the debris after the Space Shuttle Columbia Disaster {Link without Title} C. elegans are also part of experiments aboard the International Space Station as well as research using quail eggs. Earlier shuttle missions included grade school, junior high and high school projects; some of these included Ant s, stick insect eggs and brine shrimp cysts. Other science missions in the 2000s included gypsy moth eggs. EXTERNAL LINK |
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