![]() ![]() The launch crew began preparing at the launch site on 8 October 1963. The animals trained for about two months this limit was set by the risk of electrode polarization. ![]() Cat-specific training included confinement in their container and experience withstanding the restraint cloth. This was carried out by CERMA and included using the high-G centrifuge three-axis chair with simulated rocket noise. Some of the cats' spaceflight training was similar to training for humans. All of the cats had permanent electrodes surgically implanted into their brain to assess neurological activity. The cats were unnamed prior to the launch to reduce the likelihood that the scientists would become attached to them. In 1963, Centre d'Enseignement et de Recherches de Médecine Aéronautique (CERMA) purchased 14 cats from a pet dealer for the testing, with the individual animals selected based on their temperament all of the cats were female, for their calmer demeanor. French scientists wanted to use larger mammals and chose cats, since they already had a significant amount of neurological data on them. Two further rockets with rat payloads followed, on 15 and 18 October. Hector had electrodes implanted on his skull so neurological activity could be monitored. France's base in the Sahara launched a rat named Hector on 22 February 1961, causing France to become the third country to launch animals into space. Flights of the Véronique rocket had been reinstated in 1959 and were run by the Comité des Recherches Spatiales (CRS). On 29 November 1961, Enos became the second chimpanzee launched into space, and third hominid after cosmonauts Yuri Gagarin and Gherman Titov, to achieve Earth orbit. On 31 January 1961, as part of Project Mercury, the chimpanzee Ham became the first hominid launched into space for a suborbital flight. Brazilian Army colonel Manuel dos Santos Lage planned to launch a cat named Flamengo aboard the Félix I rocket on 1 January 1959, but the flight was cancelled over ethical concerns regarding the use of a cat. She died in space, but was the first animal to orbit the Earth. On 3 November 1957, the Soviet Union launched Laika, a stray dog found on the streets of Moscow, into space on Sputnik 2. suborbital flight carried the first mammal into space, a Rhesus monkey named Albert II. France's feline biological rocket payloads were preceded by rats and followed by monkeys. ![]() She has been commemorated on postage stamps around the world and a statue with her likeness is on display at the International Space University. Most of the data from the mission were of good quality, and Félicette survived the flight but was euthanized two months later for the examination of her brain.įélicette had the designation of C 341 before the flight, and after the flight the media gave her the name Félix, after Félix the Cat.Ĭentre d'Enseignement et de Recherches de Médecine Aéronautique (CERMA) modified this to the feminine Félicette and adopted it as her official name. The capsule was recovered 13 minutes after the rocket was ignited. Electrical impulses were applied to the brain and a leg during the flight to stimulate responses. The cats had electrodes implanted onto their skulls so their neurological activity could be monitored throughout the flight. Félicette was one of 14 female cats trained for spaceflight. She was launched on 18 October 1963 as part of the French space program. You might find yourself wondering what other secret powers they possess.Inscription: "Thank you for your participation in my success of 18 October 1963" įélicette ( French pronunciation: ) was a stray Parisian cat who is the only cat to have been successfully launched into space. So sit down and get ready to be amazed because these cats are about to show you that they’re the kings and queens of the pet kingdom.īut beware: once you see these gravity-defying cats in action, you may never look at your own furry companions the same way again. From mid-air leaps and acrobatic flips to seemingly impossible perches and poses, these photos of cats not affected by gravity will leave you marveling at the incredible skills of our feline friends. They’re known for their remarkable agility, thanks to their flexible spines that allow them to twist and contort their bodies in ways that many other animals cannot.Īre you ready to have your mind blown? We’ve scoured the internet and found dozens of funny cat photos that will convince you cats and gravity are parallel lines and, as such, they’ll never meet. But how do they do it? It’s a known fun fact that cats have physical abilities that allow them to perform unbelievable feats of acrobatics. From hanging from tree branches with barely any effort to balancing on the thinnest of ledges, felines take the laws of physics and throw them in the trash bin.
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