18th October 1963: Félicette becomes the first cat in space as part of a French mission

Félicette was a black-and-white stray who was launched into space to test the potential effects of spaceflight on living organisms. Animals such as dogs, monkeys, and mice already had been sent into space by the U.S. and the Soviet Union, and the French space program sought to join this trend by sending a cat into space using its Véronique sounding rocket. In preparation for the mission, several cats were trained for the flight. These animals were subjected to various tests, including exposure to high levels of acceleration and simulated weightlessness. Félicette was chosen for her calm demeanour and light weight, which were important factors for the mission’s success. The launch took place at the Hammaguir launch site in the Algerian Sahara Desert on 18 October 1963. Félicette was secured inside a specially designed capsule on top of a Véronique AG1 rocket, which reached an altitude of about 157 kilometers. Although she did not complete a full orbit of the Earth, Félicette experienced a few minutes of weightlessness while electrodes implanted in her brain transmitted neurological signals back to Earth, providing scientists with valuable data about how spaceflight affected brain activity and the central nervous system. The capsule returned safely to Earth, and Félicette survived the flight unharmed. Although her name is less well-known than other space animals such as Laika the dog, Félicette’s flight provided important information on how living organisms react to space travel, and helped to pave the way for future human missions.