Monkeys and apes in space

{{redirect|Able and Baker|the pair of nuclear tests|Operation Crossroads}}

File:Ham the chimp (cropped).jpg, a chimpanzee, became the first great ape in space during his January 31, 1961, suborbital flight aboard Mercury-Redstone 2]]

Before humans went into space in the 1960s, several other animals were launched into space, including numerous other primates, so that scientists could investigate the biological effects of spaceflight. The United States launched flights containing primate passengers primarily between 1948 and 1961 with one flight in 1969 and one in 1985. France launched two monkey-carrying flights in 1967. The Soviet Union and Russia launched monkeys between 1983 and 1996. Most primates were anesthetized before lift-off.

Over thirty-two non-human primates flew in the space program; none flew more than once. Numerous backup primates also went through the programs but never flew. Monkeys and non-human apes from several species were used, including rhesus macaque, crab-eating macaque, squirrel monkeys, pig-tailed macaques, and chimpanzees.

United States

File:Chimpanzee_Enos_before_the_flight_of_Mercury-Atlas_5.jpg, the third great ape and only chimpanzee to orbit the Earth, being prepared for launch on Mercury-Atlas 5 (November 29, 1961)]]

File:Able air and space.jpg

Image:Monkey Sam Before The Flight On Little Joe 2.jpg, flew to an altitude of {{cvt|88|km}} on December 4, 1959, on a NASA rocket, Little Joe 2]]

The first primate launched into high subspace, although not a space flight, was Albert I, a rhesus macaque, who on June 18, 1948, rode a rocket flight to over {{convert|63|km|mi|abbr=on}} in Earth's atmosphere on a V-2 rocket. Albert I died of suffocation during the flight and may actually have died in the cramped space capsule before launch.[https://web.archive.org/web/20070301032325/http://www.astronautix.com/lvs/v2cology.htm "V2 Chronology"], Encyclopedia Astronautica.{{cite web |url=https://history.nasa.gov/afspbio/part1.htm |title=The Beginnings of Research in Space Biology at the Air Force Missile Development Center, 1946–1952 |access-date=January 31, 2008 |work=History of Research in Space Biology and Biodynamics |publisher=NASA}}{{cite web |url=http://www.wsmr.army.mil/pao/FactSheets/V2/v-2tab.htm |title=V-2 Firing Tables |access-date=January 31, 2008 |publisher=White Sands Missile Range |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080125175018/http://www.wsmr.army.mil/pao/FactSheets/V2/v-2tab.htm |archive-date = January 25, 2008}}

On June 14, 1949, Albert II survived a sub-orbital V-2 flight into space (but died on impact after a parachute failure) to become the first monkey, first primate, and first mammal in space. His flight reached {{convert|134|km|mi|abbr=on}} – past the Kármán line of 100 km which designates the beginning of space.{{cite journal |author1=Beischer, DE |author2=Fregly, AR |title=Animals and man in space. A chronology and annotated bibliography through the year 1960. |journal=US Naval School of Aviation Medicine |volume=ONR TR ACR-64 |issue=AD0272581 |year=1962 |url=http://archive.rubicon-foundation.org/9288 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121204154830/http://archive.rubicon-foundation.org/9288 |url-status=usurped |archive-date=December 4, 2012 |access-date=June 14, 2011}}

On September 16, 1949, Albert III died below the Kármán line, at 35,000 feet (10.7 km), in an explosion of his V2. On December 8, Albert IV, the second mammal in space, flew on the last monkey V-2 flight and died on impact after another parachute failure after reaching 130.6 km. Alberts, I, II, and IV were rhesus macaques while Albert III was a crab-eating macaque.

Monkeys later flew on Aerobee rockets. On April 18, 1951, a monkey, possibly called Albert V, died due to parachute failure. Yorick, also called Albert VI, along with 11 mouse crewmates, reached 236,000 ft (72 km, 44.7 mi) and survived the landing, on September 20, 1951, the first monkey to do so (the dogs Dezik and Tsygan had survived a trip to space in July of that year), although he died two hours later. Two of the mice also died after recovery; all of the deaths were thought to be related to stress from overheating in the sealed capsule in the New Mexico sun while awaiting the recovery team. Albert VI's flight surpassed the 50-mile boundary the U.S. used for spaceflight but was below the international definition of space. Patricia and Mike, two cynomolgus monkeys, flew on May 21, 1952, and survived, but their flight was only to 26 kilometers.{{citation needed|date=June 2019}}

On December 13, 1958, Gordo, also called Old Reliable, a squirrel monkey, survived being launched aboard Jupiter AM-13 by the US Army. After flying for over 1,500 miles and reaching a height of 310 miles (500 km) before returning to Earth, Gordo landed in the South Atlantic and was killed due to mechanical failure of the parachute recovery system in the rocket nose cone.

On May 28, 1959, aboard the JUPITER AM-18, Miss Able, a rhesus macaque, and Miss Baker, a squirrel monkey from Peru, flew a successful mission. Able was born at the Ralph Mitchell Zoo in Independence, Kansas. They traveled in excess of 16,000 km/h, and withstood 38 g (373 m/s²). Able died June 1, 1959, while undergoing surgery to remove an infected medical electrode, from a reaction to the anesthesia. Baker became the first monkey to survive the stresses of spaceflight and the related medical procedures. Baker died November 29, 1984, at the age of 27 and is buried on the grounds of the United States Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama. Able was preserved, and is now on display at the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum. Their names were taken from the 1943–1955 US military phonetic alphabet.[http://www.kansas.com/2010/03/22/1236075/kansan-among-first-to-go-to-space.html "Kansan among first to go to space"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131015203456/http://www.kansas.com/2010/03/22/1236075/kansan-among-first-to-go-to-space.html |date=October 15, 2013 }}, Wichita Eagle and Kansas.com, March 22, 2010.

On December 4, 1959, from Wallops Island, Virginia, Sam, a rhesus macaque, flew on the Little Joe 2 in the Mercury program to 53 miles high. On January 21, 1960, Miss Sam, also a rhesus macaque, followed, on Little Joe 1B although her flight was only to {{convert|8|mi|km|abbr=on}} in a test of emergency procedures.{{Cite web|url=https://texasarchive.org/2008_00327|title=NASA Space Monkey Training|website=Texas Archive of the Moving Image|access-date=December 1, 2019}}

Chimpanzees Ham and Enos also flew in the Mercury program, with Ham becoming the first great ape or Hominidae in space.{{cite web |title=Benchmarks: January 31, 1961: Ham the chimpanzee, first hominid in space |url=https://www.earthmagazine.org/article/benchmarks-january-31-1961-ham-chimpanzee-first-hominid-space/ |website=www.earthmagazine.org |access-date=February 3, 2022}} The names "Sam" and "Ham" were acronyms. Sam was named in homage to the School of Aerospace Medicine at Brooks Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas, and the name "Ham" was taken from Holloman Aerospace Medicine at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico.{{cite web|last1=Hanser|first1=Kathleen|title=Mercury Primate Capsule and Ham the Astrochimp|url=https://airandspace.si.edu/stories/editorial/mercury-primate-capsule-and-ham-astrochimp|website=airandspace.si.edu|publisher=Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum|access-date=May 20, 2018|archive-url=https://archive.today/20180520132937/https://airandspace.si.edu/stories/editorial/mercury-primate-capsule-and-ham-astrochimp|archive-date=May 20, 2018|date=November 10, 2015|url-status=live}} Ham and Enos were among 60 chimpanzees brought to New Mexico by the U.S. Air Force for space flight tests. Six were selected to be trained at Cape Canaveral by Tony Gentry et al.{{Cite book |last=Herzfeld |first=Chris |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/982651819 |title=The great apes : a short history |date=2017 |publisher=Yale University Press |others=Kevin Frey, Jane Goodall |isbn=978-0-300-22137-4 |location=New Haven |pages=161–163 |oclc=982651819}}

Goliath, a squirrel monkey, died in the explosion of his Atlas rocket on November 10, 1961. A rhesus macaque called Scatback flew a sub-orbital flight on December 20, 1961, but was lost at sea after landing.{{cite book|last1=Burgess|first1=Colin|last2=Dubbs|first2=Chris|title=Animals in Space: From Research Rockets to the Space Shuttle|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xSdHVIpsrKkC&pg=PA272|access-date=June 12, 2018|date=July 5, 2007|publisher=Springer Science & Business Media|isbn=9780387496788|pages=272–273}}

Bonny, a pig-tailed macaque, flew on Biosatellite 3, a mission which lasted from June 29 to July 8, 1969. This was the first multi-day monkey flight but came after longer human spaceflights were common. He died within a day of landing.{{cite web|url=https://lsda.jsc.nasa.gov/scripts/mission/miss.aspx?mis_index=56|title=Mission information: Biosatellite III|work=NASA|access-date=May 25, 2016}}{{dead link|date=June 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} {{PD-notice}}

Spacelab 3 on the Space Shuttle flight STS-51-B featured two squirrel monkeys named No. 3165 and No. 384-80. The flight was from April 29 to May 6, 1985.[http://lis.arc.nasa.gov/lis/Programs/STS/STS_51B/STS_51B.html PROGRAMS, MISSIONS, AND PAYLOADS STS-51B/Spacelab 3] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110719061203/http://lis.arc.nasa.gov/lis/Programs/STS/STS_51B/STS_51B.html |date=July 19, 2011 }}, NASA

France

France launched a pig-tailed macaque named Martine on a Vesta rocket on March 7, 1967, and another named Pierrette on March 13. These suborbital flights reached {{convert|243|km|mi|abbr=on}} and {{convert|234|km|mi|abbr=on}}, respectively. Martine became the first monkey to survive more than a couple of hours after flying above the international definition of the edge of space (Ham and Enos, launched earlier by the United States, were chimpanzees).Burgess & Dubbs (2007), p. 387.

Soviet Union and Russia

The Soviet /Russian space program used only rhesus macaques in its Bion satellite program in 1980s and 1990s.{{cite web |url=http://lis.arc.nasa.gov/lis/Programs/Cosmos/overview/Cosmos_Biosat.html |title=The Cosmos Biosatellite Program |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130215143205/http://lis.arc.nasa.gov/lis/Programs/Cosmos/overview/Cosmos_Biosat.html |archive-date=February 15, 2013 }} The names of the monkeys began with sequential letters of the Russian alphabet (А, Б, В, Г, Д, Е, Ё, Ж, З...). The animals all survived their missions but for a single fatality in post-flight surgery, after which the program was canceled.

The first monkeys launched by Soviet space program, Abrek and Bion, flew on Bion 6. They remained aloft from December 14, 1983 – December 20, 1983.{{cite web |url=http://lis.arc.nasa.gov/lis/Programs/Cosmos/Cosmos_1514/Cosmos_1514.html |title=Bion 6 (Cosmos 1514) |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060929212603/http://lis.arc.nasa.gov/lis/Programs/Cosmos/Cosmos_1514/Cosmos_1514.html |archive-date=September 29, 2006 }}
Next came Bion 7 with monkeys Verny and Gordy from July 10, 1985 – July 17, 1985.{{cite web |url=http://lis.arc.nasa.gov/lis/Programs/Cosmos/Cosmos_1667/Cosmos_1667.html |title=Bion 7 (Cosmos 1667) |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060929212733/http://lis.arc.nasa.gov/lis/Programs/Cosmos/Cosmos_1667/Cosmos_1667.html |archive-date=September 29, 2006 }}
Then Dryoma and Yerosha on Bion 8 from September 29, 1987 – October 12, 1987.{{cite web |url=http://lis.arc.nasa.gov/lis/Programs/Cosmos/Cosmos_1887/Cosmos_1887.html |title=Bion 8 (Cosmos 1887) |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130215163524/http://lis.arc.nasa.gov/lis/Programs/Cosmos/Cosmos_1887/Cosmos_1887.html |archive-date=February 15, 2013 }} After returning from space Dryoma was presented to Cuban leader Fidel Castro.{{citation needed|date=October 2014}}
Bion 9 with monkeys Zhakonya and Zabiyaka followed from September 15, 1989, to September 28, 1989.{{cite web |url=http://lis.arc.nasa.gov/lis/Programs/Cosmos/Cosmos_2044/Cosmos_2044.html |title=Bion 9 (Cosmos 2044) |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060929212240/http://lis.arc.nasa.gov/lis/Programs/Cosmos/Cosmos_2044/Cosmos_2044.html |archive-date=September 29, 2006 }} The two took the space endurance record for monkeys at 13 days, 17 hours in space.
Monkeys Ivasha and Krosh flew on Bion 10 from December 29, 1992, to January 7, 1993.{{cite web |url=http://lis.arc.nasa.gov/lis2/Chapter4_Programs/Cosmos2229/Cosmos2229.html |title=Cosmos 2229 (Bion 10) |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110616070350/http://lis.arc.nasa.gov/lis2/Chapter4_Programs/Cosmos2229/Cosmos2229.html |archive-date=June 16, 2011 }} Krosh produced offspring, after rehabilitation upon returning to Earth.
Lapik and Multik were the last monkeys in space until Iran launched one of its own in 2013. The pair flew aboard Bion 11 from December 24, 1996, to January 7, 1997.{{cite web |url=http://lsda.jsc.nasa.gov/scripts/mission/miss.aspx?mis_index=135 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141231050705/http://lsda.jsc.nasa.gov/scripts/mission/miss.aspx?mis_index=135 |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 31, 2014 |title=Life Sciences Data Archive, Bion 11}} Upon return, Multik died while under anesthesia for US biopsy sampling on January 8. Lapik nearly died while undergoing the identical procedure. No follow-up research has been conducted to determine whether these two incidents, together with the 1959 loss of the US monkey Able in post-flight surgery, contraindicate the administration of anesthesia during or shortly after spaceflights. Further US support of the Bion program was canceled.

Argentina

On December 23, 1969 in Chamical, La Rioja, as part of the 'Operación Navidad' (Operation Christmas), Argentina launched Juan (a tufted capuchin, native to Argentina's Misiones Province) using a two-stage Rigel 04 rocket. It ascended perhaps up to 82 kilometers and then was recovered successfully.{{in lang|es}} Documentary on Argentine monkey Juan: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RV9fMsXW9FA ARGENTINA – 4TO PAIS EN LLEGAR AL ESPACIO] (Youtube), [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sq-opH93qn8 Trailer del documental "Juan, el primer astronauta argentino"] (Youtube){{in lang|es}} La Voz Del Interior: [http://www.lavoz.com.ar/09/12/19/secciones/economia/nota.asp?nota_id=577137 Hace 40 años, el primer "argentino" llegaba al espacio], Lucas Viano, December 19, 2009{{in lang|es}} Pagina 12: [http://www.pagina12.com.ar/diario/sociedad/3-137821-2009-12-30.html Un pequeño salto para el mono], Leonardo Moledo, December 30, 2009 Other sources give 30, 60 or 72 kilometers.{{cite web|url=http://www.taringa.net/posts/info/1275476/Argentina-y-la-Conquista-del-Espacio.html |title=Argentina y la Conquista del Espacio |date=June 3, 2008 |publisher=Taringa! |access-date=July 31, 2014}}{{cite web |url=http://www.mincyt.cba.gov.ar/site/fabricamilitar/19551993/19551993_09h.html |title=Crónicas y testimonios |access-date=April 6, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130208054827/http://www.mincyt.cba.gov.ar/site/fabricamilitar/19551993/19551993_09h.html |archive-date=February 8, 2013 }} All of these are below the international definition of space (100 km). Later, on February 1, 1970, the experience was repeated with a female monkey of the same species using an X-1 Panther rocket. Although it reached a higher altitude than its predecessor, it was lost after the capsule's parachute failed.{{citation needed|date=June 2019}}

China

The PRC spacecraft Shenzhou 2 launched on January 9, 2001. It is rumored that inside the reentry module (precise information is lacking due to the secrecy surrounding China's space program) a monkey, dog, and rabbit rode aloft in a test of the spacecraft's life support systems. The SZ2 reentry module landed in Inner Mongolia on January 16. No images of the recovered capsule appeared in the press, leading to the widespread inference that the flight ended in failure. According to press reports citing an unnamed source, a parachute connection malfunction caused a hard landing.{{cite news

| last = Cheng

| first = Ho

| url = http://www.spacedaily.com/news/china-01v.html

| title = Confusion and Mystery of Shenzhou 2 Mission Deepens

| publisher = SpaceDaily

| date = February 27, 2001

| access-date = December 13, 2010

}}

Iran

On January 28, 2013, AFP and Sky News reported that Iran had sent a monkey in a "Pishgam" rocket to a height of {{convert|72|mi|km}} and retrieved "shipment".Gizmodo: [https://gizmodo.com/5979441/iran-just-sent-a-monkey-into-space Iran Just Sent a Monkey Into Space], Jamie Condliffe, January 28, 2013Sky News: [http://news.sky.com/story/1043897/iran-space-monkey-primate-sent-into-orbit Iran Space Monkey: Primate 'Sent Into Orbit'], January 28, 2013 Iranian media gave no details on the timing or location of the launch, while details that were reported raised questions about the claim. Pre-flight and post-flight photos clearly showed different monkeys.{{cite web|author=Rob Williams |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/was-irans-monkey-in-space-launch-faked-before-and-after-pictures-of-spacetravelling-simian-appear-to-show-different-animals-8477551.html |title=Was Iran's monkey in space launch faked? Before and after pictures of space-travelling simian appear to show different animals – Middle East – World |work=The Independent |date=February 1, 2013 |access-date=July 31, 2014}} The confusion was due to the publishing of an archive photo from 2011 by the Iranian Student News Agency (ISNA). According to Jonathan McDowell, a Harvard astronomer, "They just mixed that footage with the footage of the 2013 successful launch."{{cite web|last=Kamali |first=Saeed |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/iran-blog/2013/feb/03/iran-space-monkey |title=Let's get the facts straight about Iran's space monkey | World news |publisher=theguardian.com |date=February 3, 2013 |access-date=July 31, 2014}}

On December 14, 2013, AFP and BBC reported that Iran again sent a monkey to space and safely returned it.{{cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/iran-monkey-space-21218048 |title=International News | World News – ABC News |publisher=Abcnews.go.com |date=July 13, 2014 |access-date=July 31, 2014}}{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-25378313 |title=BBC News – Iran 'sends monkey to space for second time' |publisher=Bbc.co.uk |date=December 14, 2013 |access-date=July 31, 2014}} Rhesus macaques Aftab (2013.01.28) and Fargam (2013.12.14) were each launched separately into space and safely returned. Researchers continue to study the effects of the space trip on their offspring.{{cite web|url=http://www.straitstimes.com/world/middle-east/iran-plans-manned-space-mission|title='Iran plans manned space mission' |publisher=The Straitstimes |date=September 16, 2017 |access-date=October 3, 2017}}{{cite web|url=http://www.astronaut.ru/animals/animals.htm |title='Полёты животных' |publisher=ASTROnote |date=March 31, 2014 |access-date=October 3, 2017}}

In popular culture

The 2014 animated series All Hail King Julien: Exiled features a horde of highly intelligent chimpanzee cosmonauts, whom they claim the USSR abandoned on a Madagascar islet following the end of the Space Race. Although faithful to "Mother Russia", the chimpanzees vow to take revenge on humankind for declaring their obsolescence.

Folk musician Heather Maloney's song "Albert 1-5" is inspired by the first five macaques used in the United States space program who did not survive their space flights.{{Citation |title=Heather Maloney – Albert 1-5 |url=https://genius.com/Heather-maloney-albert-1-5-lyrics |access-date=2025-03-31}}

References

External links

[http://www.ape-o-naut.org ape-o-naut]
[https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=104578202 NPR article on the 50th anniversary of Able and Baker's flight]
[https://web.archive.org/web/20070303231956/http://www.nameyourpet.co.uk/14.html A humorous look at monkey astronaut names]
[http://www.planet4589.org/space/book/astronauts/astronaut/bio/primate.html Monkey astronauts]
[http://www.spacechimps.com One Small Step: The Story of the Space Chimps Official Documentary Site]
[http://www.taringa.net/posts/info/1275476/Argentina-y-la-Conquista-del-Espacio.html Argentina and the Conquest of Space (Spanish)]

Category:Animals in space

Category:Monkeys

Category:Collection of the Smithsonian Institution

Space