Animal astronauts
Survived
Died1980 1990 2000 2010 2020
Newts
18 March 1995
Japan’s first animalsinspacewere
a species of newt aboard its Space
Flyer Unit.Fish
23 October 2012
A species of medaka fish
currently resides on the ISS in a
rudimentary aquarium.Guinea pigs and others
5 October 1990
China’s first animal taikonauts were
guinea pigs, along with dozens of
other animals and plants.Chickens
13 March 1989
On STS-29, 32 chicken embryos were
taken to space, with a handful managing to
hatch successfully.Roundworms
16 January 2003
The last flight of Columbia carried
several species including nematodes,
or roundworms.Pishgam
28 January 2013
Iran claims to have been the latest
nation to launch a primate, although
the validity remains suspect.© Getty