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Laika and Sputnik 2
On November 3, 1927 a stray mutt named Laika was launched into space. Her name means Barker in Russian and she was thought to be mostly a Siberian Husky and around three years old. While other animals had made suborbital flights, Laika was the first animal to go into orbit. She suffered no ill effects while she was alive in an orbit at an altitude of 2 000 miles. She captured the hearts of people as the batteries as the batteries that operated her life-support system ran out. -
The Albert's
In 1949, the V-2 rockets carried Air Force Aero Medical Labratory monkeys all named Albert high into the atmosphere to see how they might withstand space conditions. They were launched at different times, but Albert I was launched in 1949 on no specific date. In total there were Albert I, II, III, IV, V and VI. All of the monkeys survived the upward trip, but were killed when the parachutes failed to open and the nose cones ipacted the ground. -
Gordo the Squirrel Monkey
After NASA launnched Laika, the US army launched a squirrel monkey named Gordo (also known as old reliable) on a Jupiter AM-13 booster ona suborbital flight. Gordo completed the flight up and down safely. However, during the recovery, Gordo died when a flotation device failed. -
Able and Baker
In 1959, a female rhesus monkey and a female squirrel monkey named Able and Baker went aboard the Jupiter AM-18 rocket suborbital flight. The monkeys flew to an altitude of 300 miles amd up to speeds of 10 000 mph. They were recovered successfully. Afterward, sensors that had been used to transmit vital signs data were removed in surgery. During the operation, Able died from the anesthetic. -
Belka and Strelka
In August 1960, Sputnik 5 was launched with two dogs named Belka (male) and Strelka (female). No one ever knew what type of dogs these two were, so everyone assumed they were just simply mutts. No one knew what kind of dogs were mixed in them either. It makes sense seeing how all the dogs usued in the Soviet were strays. Shortly after the mission, Strelka actually had puppies when they got back to earth. -
Felix the Cat
On October 18, 1963, France launched a black and white stray tomcat named Felix on Veronique AG I sounding rocket No. 47 from the Hammaguir test range in Alegeria. Electrodes in the cat's brain transmitted neurological impulses on the ground station. The cat was recovered safely. -
Enos
The first non-human primate in orbit was the chimp Enos was launched November 29, 1961, in a Mercury capsule in preparation for manned flight. Enos rode in the Atlas 5 rocket and completed two orbits before being brought down one orbit early because his Mercury capsule was not performing exactly as planned. Enos successfully performed his jobs in space. After the success of the chimp's flight, John Glenn was launched on February 20, 1962, to become the first American to orbit Earth.
