All About Space - UK (2020-02)

Animal astronauts

1940 1950 1960 1970 1980

Animal milestones

Laika

3 November 1957

This Soviet space dog, dubbed ‘Muttnik’,

wasthe first animal to orbit the Earth, but

sadly died just hours into the mission.

YuriGagarin

12 April 1961

Thefirsthumaninspace

wasYuriGagarin,who

orbitedtheEarthonce.

To r t o i s e s

14 September 1968

Thefirstanimals to circle the Moon

weretwotortoises aboard Zond 5,

alongwithother smaller organisms.

Fruit Flies

20 February 1947

The first animals in space

were fruit flies launched

on a captured Nazi V-2

rocket to a height of 109

kilometres (68 miles).

Albert II

14 June 1949

The first monkey in space was the

American Albert II, launching to a height

of 134 kilometres (83 miles).

Ham

31 January 1961

Ham the chimp was the first hominid to

be sent into space. He proved organisms

could operate successfully in microgravity.

Arabella and Anita

28 July 1973

Thesetwospiders demonstrated

thattheycould spin webs even

inmicrogravity.

Number of

notable

creatures

launched into

space

Figures are calculated

based on best available

information

32

25

560

2

1

*Correct at time

of going to print

Félicette

18 October 1963

French scientists successfully

launched the first cat into

space in 1963.

© Getty

Credit: Wikipedia Commons/Public