Countdown to Apollo 11 50th Anniversary – 5 animals in space

Posted byauthorlaurablogPosted inUncategorizedTags:, , , , , , ,

Five animal related facts about space so that I can share a picture of Charlie too, for his biggest fan Shalini šŸ˜Š

1. Several monkeys were used in flight and space trials that did not end well. In 1959 – 10 years before Apollo 11 – a rhesus monkey named Abel and a Squirrel monkey named Baker became the first to successfully return to Earth after a 16 minute space flight. A total of 32 monkeys have been involved in space flights.

2. After humans successfully landed on the moon, animals were still part of the biological payload of missions even though they received less attention.

3. The record for dogs in space is held by the Russian dogs, Veterok and Ugolyok who orbited Earth for 22 days in 1966.

4. In 1973 two European garden spiders named Arabella and Anita spun webs aboard NASA’s Skylab for 59 days.

5. Additional varieties of animal life have been sent into space including cats, a tortoise, mice, frog eggs, and worms.

Published by authorlaurablog

I'm a reading specialist and award winning educator from Chicago. While living in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado for nine years, I spent time hiking on the trails with my Goldendoodle Charlie and friends, writing, working in a literacy program at the Boulder Public Library, and mentoring writers and teachers. I love visiting schools. My books combine STEM and Kindness. "Aliana Reaches for the Moon" a picture book that draws inspiration from the moon and the curiosity of children, inviting children to be creative, explore, and experiment. "An Accidental Hero: A Mostly True Wombat Story" a picture book told in the form of a newscast which skillfully balances the serious subject of forest fires with compassion and humor to help children navigate this important topic through the real events of 2020. I moved to Northern New Jersey in 2025 and am working on new projects.

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