This is a preliminary list of animals in space. The exact species designations are guesses in many cases, so corrections are welcome.
The major species apart from humans to have flown are dogs, chimpanzees, macaque monkeys, and squirrel monkeys. Some of the information on the Russian dogs is from Colin Burgess' Spaceflight article [8] and Novosti Kosmonavtiki.
Laika was reportedly originally called Kudryavka.
| Life science orbital flights: large animals | |||||
| Vehicle | Date | Payload | Apogee/km | Duration | |
| PS-2 | 1957 Nov 3 | Canis familiaris `Laika' (f 1955-1957 Nov) | 1660 | 1d? | Died on orbit |
| Vostok-1 No. 1 | 1960 Jul 28 | Canis familiaris `Bars' (1956?-1960 Jul 28) | <100? | 0:05? | Launch abort |
| Canis familiaris `Lisichka' (1956?-1960 Jul 28) | |||||
| Vostok-1 No. 2 | 1960 Aug 19 | Canis familiaris `Belka' (f 1957-) | 324 | 1:02:24 | First recovery |
| Canis familiaris `Strelka' (f 1958-) | |||||
| Vostok-1 No. 3 | 1960 Dec 1 | Canis familiaris `Pchelka' (1956?-1960 Dec 2) | 232 | 1:01:46 | Died in auto destruct |
| Canis familiaris `Mouchka' (1956?-1960 Dec 2) | |||||
| Vostok-1 No. 4 | 1960 Dec 22 | Canis familiaris `Zhemcuzhnaya' (1956?-) | 100? | 0:10? | Launch abort |
| Canis familiaris `Zhulka' (1956?-) | |||||
| Vostok-3A No. 1 | 1961 Mar 9 | Canis familiaris `Chernushka' (1957?-) | 239 | 1:42 | |
| Vostok-3A No. 2 | 1961 Mar 25 | Canis familiaris `Zvezdochka' (1957?-) | 230 | 1:41 | |
| Mercury SC9 | 1961 Nov 29 | Pan troglodytes `Enos' (m, -1962 Nov 4) | 237 | 3:20 | |
| Voskhod 3KV No. 5 | 1966 Feb 22 | Canis familiaris `Veterok' | 882 | 21.8d | |
| Canis familiaris `Ugolyok' | |||||
| Biosatellite 3 | 1969 Jun 29 | Macaca nemestrina `Bonny' (-1969 Jul) | 388 | 8d | Died 1d after landing |
| Bion No. 6 | 1983 Dec 15 | Macaca mulatta `Abrek' | 260 | 5d | |
| Macaca mulatta `Bion' | |||||
| Spacelab 3 | 1985 Apr 29 | Saimiri sciureus `No. 3165' | 361 | 7d | RAHF-P |
| Saimiri sciureus `No. 384-80' | |||||
| Bion No. 7 | 1985 Jul 10 | Macaca mulatta `Verny' | 267 | 7d | |
| Macaca mulatta `Gordy' | |||||
| Bion No. 8 | 1987 Sep 29 | Macaca mulatta `Drema' | 383 | 13d | |
| Macaca mulatta `Yerosha' | |||||
| Bion No. 9 | 1989 Sep 15 | Macaca mulatta `Zhakonya' | 267 | 14d | |
| Macaca mulatta `Zabiyaka' | |||||
| Bion No. 10 | 1992 Dec 29 | Macaca mulatta `Krosha' | 374 | 12d | |
| Macaca mulatta `Ivashi' | |||||
| Bion No. 11 | 1996 Dec 24 | Macaca mulatta `Lapik' (1993-) | 401 | 14d | |
| Macaca mulatta `Multik' (1993-1997) | Died after landing | ||||
Mice, rats, newts, guinea pigs, frogs, turtles, and fish have also been studied. The following table excludes invertebrates, plants, and unicellular organisms. The fundulus (killifish) are pretty marginal! Perognathus =pocket mice; Cavia = guinea pig; Testudo = tortoise. Note in particular that tortoises preceded humans to the Moon. I'm guessing that the failed early circumlunar L-1 flights also carried tortoises.
| Life science orbital flights: small animals | |||||
| Vehicle | Date | Payload | Apogee/km | Duration | |
| CORONA 3 | 1959 Jun 3 | Mus (4) | 100? | 0:10? | Died in launch failure |
| CORONA 4 | 1959 Jun 24 | Mus (4) | 100? | 0:10? | Died in launch failure |
| Vostok-3A No. 1 | 1961 Mar 9 | Mus (n) | 239 | 1:42 | |
| Cavia porcellus | |||||
| Vostok-3A No. 2 | 1961 Mar 25 | Mus (n) | 230 | 1:41 | |
| Cavia porcellus | |||||
| Rana pipiens (n) | |||||
| L-1 No. 7 | 1968 Apr 22 | Testudo horsfieldi Gray (2)? | 100? | 0:03 | Launch failure, destroyed |
| L-1 No. 9 | 1968 Sep 14 | Testudo horsfieldi Gray (2) | Circumlunar | 7d | First in deep space |
| L-1 No. 12 | 1968 Nov 10 | Testudo horsfieldi Gray (2)? | Circumlunar | 7d | Destroyed on landing |
| L-1 No. 13 | 1969 Jan 20 | Testudo horsfieldi Gray (2)? | 100? | 0:15? | Launch abort |
| L-1 No. 11 | 1969 Aug 7 | Testudo horsfieldi Gray (4) | Circumlunar | 7d | Deep space |
| OFO | 1970 Nov 9 | Rana calestiana (2) | 518 | 8d? | Died on orbit |
| Apollo CM 114 | 1972 Dec 7 | Perognathus longimembris (5) | Lunar orbit | 12d | Deep space, 1 died |
| Apollo SM-117 | 1973 Jul 28 | Perognathus longimembris (6) | 450 | Died on or before reentry | |
| Apollo CM-117 | 1973 Jul 28 | Fundulus heteroclitus (2) | 450 | ||
| Araneus diadematus (2) | |||||
| Bion No. 1 | 1973 Oct 21 | Testudo horsfieldi Gray (n) | 403 | 21.5d | |
| Rattus (n) | |||||
| Bion No. 2 | 1974 Oct 22 | Testudo horsfieldi Gray (n) | 364 | 20.5d | |
| Rattus norvegius (40) | |||||
| Apollo CM-111 | 1975 Jul 15 | Fundulus heteroclitus (2) | 233 | 9d | |
| Soyuz No. 41 | 1975 Nov 17 | Testudo horsfieldi Gray (n) | 350 | 90.5d | |
| Bion No. 3 | 1975 Nov 25 | Rattus norvegius | 384 | 19.5d | |
| Testudo horsfieldi Gray (n) | |||||
| Fundulus heteroclitus (n) | |||||
| Almaz OPS-3 | 1976 Jun 22 | Testudo horsfieldi Gray (n) | ? | ||
| Danio rerio (fish) | |||||
| Bion No. 4 | 1977 Aug 3 | Rattus norvegius | 396 | 18.6d | |
| Bion No. 5 | 1979 Sep 25 | Rattus norvegius (37) | 383 | 18.5d | |
| Columbia (STS-8) | 1983 Aug 30 | Rattus norvegius | 296 | 7d | AEM |
| Bion No. 6 | 1983 Dec 15 | Rattus (n) | 260 | 5d | |
| (fish) | |||||
| Spacelab 3 | 1985 Apr 29 | Rattus norvegii (24) | 361 | 7d | RAHF-R |
| Bion No. 7 | 1985 Jul 10 | Rattus (10, plus litter) | 267 | 7d | |
| Triturus (10) (newts) | |||||
| Danio rerio (1500) | |||||
| Discovery (STS-29) | 1989 Mar 13 | Rattus (4) | 333 | 5d | AEM |
| Bion No. 9 | 1989 Sep 15 | Rattus (n) | 267 | 14d | |
| Triturus (n) (newts) | |||||
| (fish) | |||||
| FSW-1 No. 3 | 1990 Oct 5 | Cavia porcellus (n) | 312 | 8d | |
| Soyuz 7K-STM No. 61 | 1990 Dec 2 | Rana (Japanese tree frogs)(6) | 404 | 8d | |
| Spacelab SLS 1 | 1991 Jun 5 | Rattus norvegii (30) | 298 | 9d RAHF | |
| Discovery (STS-48) | 1991 Sep 12 | Rattus norvegii (8) | 570 | 6d | PARE-01 |
| Spacelab J | 1992 Sep 12 | Cyprinus carpio? (2) (Carp) | 311 | 8d | E01-L2 |
| Rana pipiens? | |||||
| Bion No. 10 | 1992 Dec 29 | Rana pipiens (n) | 374 | 12d | |
| Endeavour (STS-54) | 1993 Jan 13 | Rattus norvegius (n) | 300 | 6d | PARE-02 |
| Discovery (STS-56) | 1993 Apr 8 | Rattus norvegius (n) | 300 | 9d | PARE-03 |
| Spacelab SLS 2 | 1993 Oct 18 | Rattus norvegius (24) | 288 | 14d | RAHF |
| Spacelab IML 2 | 1994 Jul 8 | Triturus, Oryzias latipes | 301 | 15d | AAEU |
| Atlantis (STS-66) | 1994 Nov 3 | Rattus norvegius (10) | 300 | 10d | PARE/NIH-R |
| SFU | 1995 Mar 18 | Triturus (n) | 475 | ? | Presumably died |
| Discovery (STS-70) | 1995 Jul 13 | Rattus norvegius (n) | 302 | 9d | NIH-R-2 |
| Columbia (STS-78) | 1996 Jun 20 | Rattus norvegius (12) | 282 | 16d | AEM (2) |
| Bion No. 11 | 1996 Dec 24 | Triturus (n) (newts) | 401 | 14d | |
| Columbia (STS-90) | 1998 Apr 17 | Rattus (152), Mus (18), | |||
| Snails (135), Oyster toadfish (4), | |||||
| Swordtail fish (229), Crickets (1500) | |||||
Suborbital bio flights.
Details on the Soviet flights of 1951-1957 are partly from Jean-Jacques Serra.
Pat died in 1954; Mike in 1967, both at DC Nat. Zoo.
| Life science suborbital flights | |||
| Vehicle | Date | Species | Apogee/km |
| V-2 No 37 | 1948 Jun 11 | Monkey (Albert) | 63 |
| V-2 No 47 | 1949 Jun 14 | Monkey (Albert II) | 133 |
| V-2 No 32 | 1949 Sep 16 | Monkey (Albert III) | 1? |
| V-2 No 31 | 1949 Dec 08 | Monkey (Albert IV) | 127 |
| V-2 No 51 | 1950 Aug 31 | Mouse (Albert V) | |
| Aerobee USAF-12 | 1951 Apr 18 | Monkey | 61; died on impact |
| R-1V | 1951 Jul 22 | Canis `Zhegan', `Dezik' | 100 |
| R-1B | 1951 Jul 29 | Canis x 2 | 100 |
| R-1B | 1951 Aug 15 | Canis x 2 | 100 |
| R-1V | 1951 Aug 19 | Canis x 2 | 100 |
| R-1B | 1951 Aug 28 | Canis x 2 | 100 |
| R-1B | 1951 Sep 2 | Canis x 2 | 100 |
| Aerobee USAF-19 | 1951 Sep 20 | Monkey (Yorick aka Albert VI) + 11 mice | 71 |
| Aerobee USAF-26 | 1952 May 22 | 2 Phillipine monkeys (Pat and Mike) + 2 mice | 26 |
| R-1D | 1954 Jul 2 | Canis `Lyza', `Ryjik' | 100 |
| R-1D | 1954 Jul 7 | Canis | 100 |
| R-1D | 1954 Jul 26 | Canis | 100 |
| R-1E | 1955 Jan 25 | Canis | 100 |
| R-1E | 1955 Feb 5 | Canis | 100 |
| R-1E | 1955 Nov 4 | Canis | 100 |
| R-1E | 1956 May 14 | Canis | 100 |
| R-1E | 1956 May 31 | Canis | 100 |
| R-1E | 1956 Jun 7 | Canis | 100 |
| V-2A (R-2) | 1957 May 16 | Canis `Ryjaya', `Damka' | 220 |
| V-2A | 1957 | Canis | 220 |
| V-2A | 1957 | Canis | 220 |
| V-2A | 1957 | Canis | 220 |
| V-2A | 1957 Aug 31 | Canis | 220 |
| Thor Able | 1958 Apr 23 | Mouse (Mia) | Destroyed |
| Thor Able | 1958 Jul 10 | Mouse (Mia II) | 45 min, died |
| Thor Able | 1958 Jul 24 | Mouse (Wickie) | Lost at sea |
| V-5A (R-5) | 1958 Aug 27 | Canis `Belyanka', `Pestraya' | 450 |
| V-5A (R-5) | 1958 Sep 17 | Canis x 2 | 450 |
| V-5A (R-5) | 1958 Oct 31 | Canis x 2 | 450 |
| AM-13 Bioflight 1 | 1958 Dec 13 | Saimiri `Gordo' | |
| AM-18 Bioflight 2 | 1959 May 28 | Macaca mulatta `Able' | 600? |
| Saimiri `Baker' | |||
| V-2A | 1959 Jul 2 | Canis `Otvazhnaya', `Shezhinka'; Lepus `Marfusha' | 220 |
| V-2A | 1959 Jul 10 | Canis `Otvazhnaya', ? | 220 |
| AM-23 Bioflight 3 | 1959 Sep 15 | 14 mice | Destroyed |
| LJ-2 | 1959 Dec 4 | Macaca mulatta 'Sam' | 85 |
| LJ-1B | 1960 Jan 21 | Macaca mulatta 'Miss Sam' | 15 |
| V-2A | 1960 Jun 15 | Canis `Otvazhnaya', `Malek'; Lepus `Zvezdochka' | 220 |
| V-2A | 1960 Jun 24 | Canis `Otvazhnaya', `Yemchugnaya' | 220 |
| V-2A | 1960 Sep 16 | Canis x 2 | 220 |
| V-2A | 1960 Sep 22 | Canis `Otvazhnaya', ? | 220 |
| Atlas 71D | 1960 Oct 13 | Mus `Amy', `Sally', `Mo' | (0:20) |
| MR-2 | 1961 Jan 31 | Pan troglodytes `Ham' | 253 |
| Veronique AGI24 | 1961 Feb 22 | Rattus `Hector' | 110 |
| SP Pod 13 | 1961 Nov 10 | Saimiri (squirrel monkey) `Goliath' (-1961) | 1 |
| SP Pod 6 | 1961 Dec 10 | Macaca mulatta `Scatback' | 500? |
| Veronique AGI37 | 1962 Oct 15 | Rattus `Castor' | |
| Veronique AGI36 | 1962 Oct 18 | Rattus `Pollux' | |
| Veronique AGI47 | 1963 Oct 18 | Felis catus `Felicette' | |
| Veronique AGI50 | 1963 Oct 24 | Felis catus (died on impact) | |
| T-7A-S | 1964 Jul 19 | Rats and mice | |
| T-7A-S | 1965 Jun 1 | Rats and mice | |
| T-7A-S | 1965 Jun 5 | Rats and mice | |
| T-7A-S2 | 1966 Jul 14 | Canis `Xiao Bao' (m.) | 100 |
| T-7A-S2 | 1966 Jul 28 | Canis `Shan Shan' (f.) | |
| Vesta 4 | 1967 Mar 7 | Macaca nemestrina `Martine' | 233 |
| Vesta 5 | 1967 Mar 13 | Macaca nemestrina `Pierette' | 240? |