Did you know that animals were sent to space before humans?
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Let’s explore five amazing animals that have taken a trip to space.
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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.
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In 1947, fruit flies were sent into space. They were launched aboard a U.S. rocket to study radiation exposure.
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Ham was the first chimpanzee to fly in space. In 1961, his flight helped NASA understand how humans might react to space travel.
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Félicette, a French cat, went to space in 1963. She became the first and only cat to survive space travel after her short mission.
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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.
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Before sending humans, scientists wanted to ensure that living creatures could survive the harsh conditions of space.
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Animals helped them understand more about space travel.
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From these missions, scientists learned how space affects the body, from exposure to radiation to changes in bone density.
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