Before humans attempted flying to space, animals made it there first – and some even survived to tell the tale. Get ready to take a walk down memory lane, and learn more about some of the animal species that flew into space over the years and made history with their space missions.
First Animal
Fruit flies were the first animals sent to space aboard a U.S.-launched V-2 rocket in 1947. This space mission tried to explore the effects of radiation exposure at high altitudes, and fruit flies managed to make it back alive.
First Mammal
The U.S.-launched V-2 was also responsible for flying the first mammal into space. A rhesus monkey Albert II made history as the first monkey and first primate to make it to space in 1949, but he died upon landing due to a parachute failure.
First Dog
The Soviet space program used several dogs in their orbital flights during the 50s and 60s. Dezik and Tsygan were the first dogs to make a sub-orbital flight and successfully return to Earth in 1951.
First Animal to Orbit the Earth
Even though it’s widely believed that Laika was the first dog in space, she was actually the first to orbit the Earth, after flying aboard the Sputnik 2 spacecraft in 1957.