Cat Fact Wednesday
Hello, or as Jambo (pictured here) might say, “Bonjour.” Since her picture is hard to find, Jambo is a place holder for Ms. Felicette of France – otherwise known as Astrocat.
“In 1963, France sent the first cat into space. Known as Felicette, she was also dubbed ‘Astrocat’ by the press. Via implanted electrodes, Felicette’s vitals were constantly monitored and she successfully returned to Earth” (MNN).
“The black and white feline was a stray whisked off of the streets of Paris. One day scrounging for food out of garbage bin, and the next serving as France’s astrocat, surrounded by fanfare and state-of-the-art high-tech gadgetry” (read more). Her own Les Miserables with a happy ending!
Animals are now rarely used in space travel tests, but their successful journeys and sacrifices helped us make huge strides in exploration and technology. Read more at NASA and listen to This American Life’s most recent episode on “What animals sacrifice for us, and what we sacrifice for them.”
