Oct 12, 2023, 05:13 PM IST
The inaugural space-traveling animal, a humble fruit fly, embarked on its journey in 1947. American scientists aimed to comprehend the potential impact of cosmic radiation on future astronauts.
Remarkably, 32 monkeys and apes, including the rhesus macaque, pig-tailed monkey, cynomolgus monkey, squirrel-tailed monkey, and chimpanzee, have ventured into space in different missions.
Rodents have played a crucial role in understanding the effects of space travel on the human body. NASA's recent detailed study of mice at the International Space Station revealed their rapid adaptation to microgravity conditions.
Several dogs, notably Laika under the former Soviet Union in 1957, journeyed into space. Laika, a stray mongrel puppy from Moscow, was chosen for her gentle temperament and resilience to face adverse conditions.
Playing a vital role in the space race, tortoises were aboard the Zond 5 spaceship in 1968. The mission was carrying soil samples, seeds, worms, and two steppe tortoises, during an era when USA and the Soviet Union raced to land a man on the moon.
NASA's significant frog flight occurred in 1970 with the Orbiting Frog Otolith spacecraft, housing two bullfrogs.
In 1973, two garden spiders, Anita and Arabella, participated in an experiment initiated by Massachusetts high school student Judith Miles. The experiment aimed to determine if spiders could still spin webs in space.