The Complete List of Animals That Have Been To Space

Space exploration has always pushed the boundaries of human ingenuity, taking us further into the cosmos than ever before. But before humans ventured into the void, a brave and often overlooked group of pioneers paved the way, enduring the unknown perils of rocket launches and zero gravity.

These trailblazers were not human. In this comprehensive list, you’ll discover the 24 Animals that have been to Space, from the pioneering monkeys Able and Miss Baker to the dogs Veterok and Ugolyok, showcasing the remarkable variety of creatures involved. For each, we’ve organized the essential data, including their Scientific Name, Mission Date, and the Country responsible for their journey, all of which you’ll find detailed below.

Why were animals sent to space before humans?

The primary reason animals were sent into space was to gather crucial data about the biological effects of spaceflight before risking human lives. Scientists needed to understand how a living organism would react to high g-forces during launch, microgravity, radiation exposure, and re-entry. These early animal missions helped test life support systems, develop safety protocols, and prove that survival in space was possible, thereby laying the groundwork for manned space exploration.

Animals that Have Been to Space

Images and Descriptions

Fruit Flies

The very first animals to reach space, these flies were launched on a V-2 rocket to an altitude of 109 km. The mission studied the effects of radiation, and the flies were recovered alive, proving life could survive space travel.

Albert II

A rhesus macaque, Albert II became the first primate in space by reaching an altitude of 134 km. He provided early data on physiological responses to spaceflight but tragically died on impact due to a parachute failure.

Dezik and Tsygan

These two dogs were the first canines to successfully complete a spaceflight, reaching an altitude of 110 km on a sub-orbital journey. Both were recovered safely, proving that larger mammals could endure the trip into space.

Laika

Laika was the first animal to orbit the Earth aboard Sputnik 2. Her one-way mission provided crucial data on how a living organism reacts to the space environment, but she died from overheating hours into the historic flight.

Gordo

This squirrel monkey survived his flight to an altitude of 483 km, but the recovery capsule’s parachute failed, and he was lost at sea. Data from his flight proved that humans could physiologically withstand a similar journey into space.

Able and Miss Baker

This rhesus macaque and squirrel monkey duo became the first primates to return to Earth alive after spaceflight. Their successful journey to a 483 km altitude and safe recovery was a major milestone for the U.S. space program.

Belka and Strelka

These two dogs became the first animals to orbit Earth and return alive. Their successful 24-hour mission aboard Sputnik 5 bolstered Soviet confidence in the safety of human spaceflight, paving the way for Yuri Gagarin’s mission.

Ham the Chimp

Ham was the first great ape launched into space. During his flight, he successfully performed simple tasks, proving that motor skills were not compromised by space conditions and clearing the path for the first American astronauts.

Enos the Chimp

As the first and only chimpanzee to orbit the Earth, Enos completed two orbits before his mission was cut short due to a malfunction. His successful flight was the final animal test before John Glenn’s historic orbital mission.

Félicette

The first and only cat to travel to space, Félicette reached an altitude of 157 km on a French sub-orbital flight. Electrodes in her brain provided valuable neurological data before she was safely recovered via parachute.

Veterok and Ugolyok

These two dogs set an animal space endurance record by spending 22 days in orbit aboard Kosmos 110. Their long-duration flight tested the effects of prolonged radiation and weightlessness on a living body, a record that stood for years.

Horsfield’s Tortoises

A pair of tortoises became the first animals to fly around the Moon and return safely to Earth aboard the Zond 5 mission. They survived the journey with minor weight loss, beating humans in the race to circumnavigate the Moon.

Bullfrogs

Two bullfrogs were flown on the Orbiting Frog Otolith satellite to study how the inner ear’s balance system adapts to weightlessness. The experiment provided key insights into the cause of space motion sickness experienced by astronauts.

Arabella and Anita

These two garden spiders were sent to the Skylab space station to see if they could spin webs in microgravity. After some initial difficulty, they successfully adapted and spun webs, providing a famous example of animal adaptation in space.

Mummichog Fish

Sent to Skylab along with the spiders, these small, hardy fish were used to study how the nervous system adapts to weightlessness. They initially swam in disoriented loops but adapted to the new environment within a few days.

Iberian Ribbed Newts

Flown on the Bion 7 mission, these newts had parts of their front limbs amputated to study the rate of regeneration in space. The research aimed to understand how microgravity affects complex cell growth and repair processes.

Japanese Quail

Eggs from this species were sent to the Mir space station, where several hatched, becoming the first birds born in space. The chicks struggled to orient themselves and could not feed properly without gravity’s assistance, providing ethological data.

Guinea Pigs

China’s first successful biological space mission included guinea pigs aboard the FSW-1 3 recoverable satellite. The 8-day orbital mission studied how the microgravity environment affected the animals’ biological systems.

Moon Jellyfish

Over 2,400 jellyfish polyps were flown on the Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-40) to study how their gravity-sensing organs developed in weightlessness. Those born in space showed motor abnormalities when returned to Earth’s gravity.

Nematode Worms

These simple roundworms were part of experiments on the Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-107). Tragically, the shuttle disintegrated on re-entry, but some of the worms in their canisters survived the disaster, demonstrating their incredible resilience.

Tardigrades

Known as “water bears,” these microscopic creatures were exposed to the vacuum and lethal radiation of open space on a Foton-M3 mission. Many survived and even reproduced, proving they are among the hardiest animals known to science.

Madagascar Hissing Cockroach

Flown on the same Foton-M3 mission as the tardigrades, a female cockroach named Nadezhda became the first Earth creature to conceive in space and later give birth to healthy offspring after returning from orbit.

Geckos

A group of geckos was sent into orbit on the Foton-M4 satellite to study sexual behavior and embryonic development in microgravity. Unfortunately, a life-support system malfunction led to their deaths before the mission’s conclusion.

Bobtail Squid

These small squid were sent to the International Space Station to study the effects of spaceflight on symbiotic relationships between animals and microbes. The research helps understand how the human microbiome might change on long missions.