Flying High
Animals were important for those first trips into space. The US and USSR experimented with different species. Though bacteria were present on the rockets, the first live things to go into orbit were fruit flies. Americans wanted to see how the radiation might affect insects.
Flying High
Monkey Business
Even more complex creatures went into space. In 1949, the US sent a rhesus macaque up there. His name was Albert II, and he was the very first mammal to leave Earth’s atmosphere. He survived through the launch but died coming home.
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Monkey Business
