Are there any animals in space at the moment?
We find out if there are any creatures in space right now
Russia sent five geckos up into space earlier this year. Image Credit: Roscosmos
Asked by Harry Isaacs
Earlier this year, five geckos – small lizards famous for their ability to walk up walls – were sent up to space in a Foton-M4 satellite by Russia. The reptiles were part of an experiment to study the effects of microgravity on their behaviour. The Russians lost control of the satellite for a few days but restored contact again before the geckos’ food supply ran out. Sadly, not long after that and on 1 September, Russia confirmed the death of all five geckos and stated that it’s likely that the reptiles struggled in the low temperatures of space. Most recently a SpaceX resupply mission delivered 20 mice to the ISS. Scientists will observe them to study the effects of microgravity on rodents.
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