In 2021, NASA sent 128 baby octopuses to the International Space Station. Known as bobtail squids, these tiny creatures are like living lanterns glowing in the darkness, all thanks to a symbiotic relationship with luminescent bacteria. Scientists are eager to find out how they get along in zero gravity, and if they can keep their chemistry intact. Humans too have a unique and intricate relationship with other organisms, like microbes. While this connection benefits us on Earth, in space, things can get a little tricky, and we need to be prepared. But answers to these questions often come at a cost. The baby squids didn’t survive their cosmic adventure, they were frozen before being sent back to Earth. And it's not the first time space missions had an unfortunate outcome for our animal friends. So what is the strongest g force an animal has to endure? Which creatures defied the odds and survived the rigorous conditions of open space? And what was the world's only spacefaring cat?
In 1949, Albert III’s mission ended in disaster when the rocket he was aboard exploded. Not long after, Albert IV faced a parachute system failure, leading to a crash landing. And in 1951, Albert V suffered the same fate due to a parachute malfunction. But there were glimmers of hope. Yorick, also known as Albert VI, successfully reached an altitude of 44.7 miles [72 km] and safely landed. However, just two hours later, because of the stresses and strains endured during the mission, Yorick's heart stopped. The Albert dynasty came to an end, but other primates were still venturing into space, and some had better luck.
Among them, the most famous was the chimpanzee named Ham. At just two years old, the monkey was sent to the Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico. For hours, scientists trained Ham to sit still on a metal chair and operate the required levers, mimicking the tasks he would have to perform in space. If the tasks were completed correctly, the chimp was rewarded with banana pellets. And if Ham did something wrong, he was punished with electric shocks from metal plates attached to his paws. The monkey also endured hours of tough conditions in a decompression chamber. But the real challenge happened during the flight. After the "Mercury" spacecraft launched, the chimpanzee encountered a staggering force of gravity — 17 g’s instead of anticipated 9 g’s. To put it in perspective, modern astronauts endure around 3 g’s of force during lift-off. At such intensity, the mere 37-pound [16.8 kg] monkey felt as if he weighed almost 630 pounds [285.7 kg]. For over ten agonizing hours, Ham braved the depths of space, filled with terror and utter solitude, before finally returning to Earth, where yet another challenge awaited him. When Ham's capsule landed in the ocean approximately 130 miles [210 km] off the designated splashdown zone, the heat shield broke off and punctured the spacecraft. Water immediately gushed in through the holes. By the time the capsule was lifted from the ocean by a helicopter two and a half hours later, it had taken in around 800 pounds [360 kg] of water. The monkey was retrieved alive but frightened.
In the famous photo taken of Ham immediately after the flight, he appears to be smiling, but not because he’s happy. According to experts, chimpanzees don't smile to express joy; instead, they bare their teeth and pull back their lips in fear. Jane Goodall, a renowned primate expert, was astonished by the terror she observed on Ham's face in that very image. Despite enduring such harrowing trials, Ham went on to live another 17 years in a solitary cage at the National Zoo. In the 1950s and 1960s, the USA sent numerous monkeys of various species into space. Sadly, most of them didn’t make it back — about two-thirds perished during or after the missions.
In 2002, Russian scientists uncovered data from the instrument readings, revealing that the dog perished within just five to seven hours after liftoff. Confined to a tight chamber amidst deafening noise and vibrations, the small four-legged explorer faced overwhelming stress and overheated during the flight.
Unlike monkeys and dogs, cats weren't as favored for space exploration. In France, a team of 14 animals were trained for flights, but only one black-and-white stray cat from Paris actually made it to space. Instead of a name, she was simply designated as C 341. The mission participants refrained from giving the cats names to avoid forming emotional attachments. After extensive testing, it was C 341 who was chosen for the flight. Prior to launch, electrodes were implanted to monitor her heart and brain activity. In 1963, the Véronique rocket with the cat on board took off into the sky and remained in flight for just 13 minutes. The animal had to endure tremendous noise and vibrations during liftoff, a gravitational force of 9.5 g’s during acceleration, and approximately six minutes of weightlessness. Fortunately, she returned alive. After the flight, the space cat briefly became a national heroine in France and was given the name Félicette. But two months later, Félicette was euthanized so that scientists could study the effects of the flight on her brain. One of the 11 cats prepared for the mission perished in an unsuccessful launch of the next rocket. After the program ended, nine others were euthanized. Only one cat was lucky, but only because of health decline after the implantation of electrodes, so the scientists decided to remove them. They kept the cat as a mascot and gave her the name Scoubidou. (scooby doo)
After a series of unfortunate events, the practice of sending animals higher into space was mostly discontinued. Snails, fish, frogs, jellyfish, and turtles are now more commonly used for flights to the International Space Station and longer distances. It’s easier to provide suitable conditions for these creatures in space, and they still allow for necessary experiments. Successful inner ear research is conducted on snails, while genetic studies are performed on fish. But even with these animals, their lifespans are still shortened due to all the experiments.
Fruit Flies
The first living creatures intentionally sent into space were fruit flies. In 1947, they were launched aboard the American rocket V-2 to study the effects of radiation at high altitudes. The rocket soared up to 68 miles [109 km], and the insects safely returned to Earth inside a capsule. The radiation didn't harm the flies or damage their DNA. This breakthrough suggested that humans could potentially journey into space too. But before that could happen, more experiments had to be conducted. So scientists decided to test the effects of space on creatures most similar to us – monkeys. And so, the era of spacefaring monkeys, known as “Albert monkeys” began. In 1948, Albert I (the first) took off on his extraordinary journey, but sadly, it was cut short. The monkey suffocated when the V-2 rocket reached an altitude of 30-39 miles [48-63 km]. Some believe the asphyxiation might have occurred inside the confined capsule even before liftoff. A year later, Albert II (the second) soared to an impressive altitude of around 83 miles [133 km], only to meet a tragic fate upon landing.
In 1949, Albert III’s mission ended in disaster when the rocket he was aboard exploded. Not long after, Albert IV faced a parachute system failure, leading to a crash landing. And in 1951, Albert V suffered the same fate due to a parachute malfunction. But there were glimmers of hope. Yorick, also known as Albert VI, successfully reached an altitude of 44.7 miles [72 km] and safely landed. However, just two hours later, because of the stresses and strains endured during the mission, Yorick's heart stopped. The Albert dynasty came to an end, but other primates were still venturing into space, and some had better luck.
Chimpanzee "Ham"
Among them, the most famous was the chimpanzee named Ham. At just two years old, the monkey was sent to the Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico. For hours, scientists trained Ham to sit still on a metal chair and operate the required levers, mimicking the tasks he would have to perform in space. If the tasks were completed correctly, the chimp was rewarded with banana pellets. And if Ham did something wrong, he was punished with electric shocks from metal plates attached to his paws. The monkey also endured hours of tough conditions in a decompression chamber. But the real challenge happened during the flight. After the "Mercury" spacecraft launched, the chimpanzee encountered a staggering force of gravity — 17 g’s instead of anticipated 9 g’s. To put it in perspective, modern astronauts endure around 3 g’s of force during lift-off. At such intensity, the mere 37-pound [16.8 kg] monkey felt as if he weighed almost 630 pounds [285.7 kg]. For over ten agonizing hours, Ham braved the depths of space, filled with terror and utter solitude, before finally returning to Earth, where yet another challenge awaited him. When Ham's capsule landed in the ocean approximately 130 miles [210 km] off the designated splashdown zone, the heat shield broke off and punctured the spacecraft. Water immediately gushed in through the holes. By the time the capsule was lifted from the ocean by a helicopter two and a half hours later, it had taken in around 800 pounds [360 kg] of water. The monkey was retrieved alive but frightened.
In the famous photo taken of Ham immediately after the flight, he appears to be smiling, but not because he’s happy. According to experts, chimpanzees don't smile to express joy; instead, they bare their teeth and pull back their lips in fear. Jane Goodall, a renowned primate expert, was astonished by the terror she observed on Ham's face in that very image. Despite enduring such harrowing trials, Ham went on to live another 17 years in a solitary cage at the National Zoo. In the 1950s and 1960s, the USA sent numerous monkeys of various species into space. Sadly, most of them didn’t make it back — about two-thirds perished during or after the missions.
Soviet Union Dog Laika
Meanwhile, the Soviet Union conducted space experiments with dogs. Scientists preferred using mixed-breed strays accustomed to harsh living conditions. One of these dogs was Laika, a 13-pound [6 kg], 2-year-old Husky-Spitz mix found on Moscow's streets. The dog was trained in a special camp where Laika spent extended periods in a centrifuge to adapt to changes in gravity. Scientists also got her used to eating jelly-like food, which would be easy to consume in space. A hastily constructed rocket for Laika lacked proper protection from radiation and overheating. It also carried an insufficient amount of oxygen for the entire duration of the flight, so it was obvious that Laika’s journey into space would be a one-way trip. In 1957, Laika was sent into space aboard the "Sputnik 2" spacecraft. The Soviet Union claimed that she survived for six or seven days after the launch. Then, scientists administered the poisoned dog food as the compartment was running out of oxygen. But as it was later discovered, Laika passed away much earlier.
In 2002, Russian scientists uncovered data from the instrument readings, revealing that the dog perished within just five to seven hours after liftoff. Confined to a tight chamber amidst deafening noise and vibrations, the small four-legged explorer faced overwhelming stress and overheated during the flight.
Belka and Strelka
The two canine astronauts named Belka and Strelka had a different fate. In 1960, they were sent into orbit aboard the "Sputnik-5" spacecraft. Together in a two-seater container, they could see and hear each other, which likely helped them cope better with the journey. Their flight conditions were comfortable, with automatic adjustments for pressure, temperature, and humidity in their cabin. The dogs had periodic air purification and were fed and hydrated automatically twice a day. Belka and Strelka experienced a slight stress response during liftoff but quickly returned to a calm state and had a good appetite throughout the journey. Belka and Strelka safely returned to Earth, covering a total distance of 435,000 miles [700,000 km]. After the journey, they lived at the Institute of Aviation and Space Medicine until old age. Strelka even gave birth to six puppies. One of the puppies, named Pushinka, was given as a gift by the Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev to the daughter of President John F. Kennedy, Caroline, in 1961. Pushinka also had puppies, and according to some reports, her descendants still roam the Earth today.France Cat "C341"
Unlike monkeys and dogs, cats weren't as favored for space exploration. In France, a team of 14 animals were trained for flights, but only one black-and-white stray cat from Paris actually made it to space. Instead of a name, she was simply designated as C 341. The mission participants refrained from giving the cats names to avoid forming emotional attachments. After extensive testing, it was C 341 who was chosen for the flight. Prior to launch, electrodes were implanted to monitor her heart and brain activity. In 1963, the Véronique rocket with the cat on board took off into the sky and remained in flight for just 13 minutes. The animal had to endure tremendous noise and vibrations during liftoff, a gravitational force of 9.5 g’s during acceleration, and approximately six minutes of weightlessness. Fortunately, she returned alive. After the flight, the space cat briefly became a national heroine in France and was given the name Félicette. But two months later, Félicette was euthanized so that scientists could study the effects of the flight on her brain. One of the 11 cats prepared for the mission perished in an unsuccessful launch of the next rocket. After the program ended, nine others were euthanized. Only one cat was lucky, but only because of health decline after the implantation of electrodes, so the scientists decided to remove them. They kept the cat as a mascot and gave her the name Scoubidou. (scooby doo)
After a series of unfortunate events, the practice of sending animals higher into space was mostly discontinued. Snails, fish, frogs, jellyfish, and turtles are now more commonly used for flights to the International Space Station and longer distances. It’s easier to provide suitable conditions for these creatures in space, and they still allow for necessary experiments. Successful inner ear research is conducted on snails, while genetic studies are performed on fish. But even with these animals, their lifespans are still shortened due to all the experiments.