By Sakshi Sah
Published Sep 25, 2024

Hindustan Times
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Photo Credit: Pexels

5 animals that have been to space

Did you know that animals were sent to space before humans?

Let’s explore five amazing animals that have taken a trip to space.

Laika, a stray dog from Moscow, was the first animal to orbit Earth in 1957 aboard the Soviet spacecraft Sputnik 2. Sadly, she did not survive the journey.

In 1947, fruit flies were sent into space. They were launched aboard a U.S. rocket to study radiation exposure.

Ham was the first chimpanzee to fly in space. In 1961, his flight helped NASA understand how humans might react to space travel.

Félicette, a French cat, went to space in 1963. She became the first and only cat to survive space travel after her short mission.

In 1968, the Soviet Union sent two tortoises around the Moon aboard Zond 5. They were among the first animals to circle the Moon and return to Earth.

Before sending humans, scientists wanted to ensure that living creatures could survive the harsh conditions of space.

Animals helped them understand more about space travel.

From these missions, scientists learned how space affects the body, from exposure to radiation to changes in bone density.

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