7 Animals That Ventured Beyond Earth Into Space

Tortoises Around the Moon

Tortoises were flown on the Soviet Zond 5 mission in 1968, which orbited the Moon and returned safely to Earth. This mission made them the first animals to travel around the Moon and come back safely.

Albert II, the Rhesus Monkey

Albert II became the first monkey in space, launched on June 14, 1949, aboard a V-2 rocket. Unfortunately, Albert II did not survive the mission due to a parachute failure upon re-entry.

Rabbit in Space

Rabbits were flown on the Soviet Korabl-Sputnik 2 mission in 1960 along with other animals. This mission was conducted to understand the impact of space travel on larger mammals.

Ham, the Space Chimpanzee

Ham, the first chimpanzee in space, was launched by NASA on January 31, 1961, aboard the Mercury-Redstone 2. Ham survived the mission and was successfully recovered, making history as a pioneering astronaut.

Laika, the Space Dog

Laika, a dog, was the first animal to orbit Earth. She was launched aboard the Soviet Sputnik 2 mission on November 3, 1957. Sadly, Laika did not survive the mission.

Mice in Space

Numerous mice have been sent to space on various missions to study the effects of microgravity on mammalian biology. The first such mission took place in 1950, marking the beginning of many important biological studies in space.

Guinea Pigs Space Journey

Guinea pigs have been part of several space missions, including a Soviet mission in 1961. These missions aimed to study the effects of space travel on mammals and their biological systems.