A photo from open sources
You probably know that even before a person in space traveled dogs. Maybe someone will remember that the Americans launched the monkeys. Mice, rats, and turtles also visited space. French people trained on cats.
Cotonauts a la France
Not wanting to lag behind the USA and the USSR, France also in the early 60s rushed into space. During 1961-1962 three were launched ship with rats. Although flights could be considered successful with a big stretch (in the second flight the animal died, and the third the capsule with the “astronaut” was not found at all) the French decided that ready for more decisive matters. The experience of the USSR (dogs) and the USA (monkeys) for some reason did not inspire them and were chosen for flights cats.
A photo from open sources
In 1963, 30 applicants for the title of “Heroes of France”. They were washed and delivered to Algerian Hammagir space test site, where they began to prepare for a scientific mission. The preparation was serious and included training in a pressure chamber and on centrifuge, spacesuits-boxes in which “Cotonauts” were forced to sit for hours. After a few weeks 14 candidates were selected from training sessions, of which number 1 – cat Felix.
A photo from open sources
Newspapers wrote about him, he was shown on TV, about him talked in the news blocks. Stamps with his portrait were issued. Pupils sent letters to the editors asking: “How the health of our “cosmonaut” Felix? Is he ready for a feat in fame of France? “The advertised launch was assigned to 18 October 1963
A photo from open sources
How Felix Deserted
The day of October 18 began with an emergency: the hope and pride of France cat Felix is gone. Neither “kitty-kitty”, nor carried in all corners and the nooks and crannies did not help. Felix was sitting in his the stronghold and stubbornly did not succumb to any provocation. Eat from the belly – yes, train – okay, but fly into space, risk your cat life – horns! It smelled of a grand scandal.
In order not to delay the launch of the rocket and not to be disgraced at all (an illiterate cat left in the fools of venerable scientists!) was captured the first pussy that came to hand was baptized by Felicetta and put in capsule of the spacecraft Veronica – 47. At 08:09 a rocket started. Instead of Felix’s super-trained cat space cat Felicetta flew, yesterday begging for at the door dining room a piece of sausage.
Felicetta – the only cat who returned alive
In fact, the space flight of Veronica – 47 can only be considered conditionally. The rocket did not enter near-Earth orbit and did not fly around the planet. At an altitude of about 200 km. she split up and the capsule with Felicetta returned to Earth. The entire flight lasted less than 15 minutes. However, the space passenger suffered overloads, and visited weightlessness. Felicetta’s cat was removed from the capsule alive and healthy. But she got exactly half the glory, because throughout France has already scattered photos and stamps on which was depicts the cat Felix, who did not fly anywhere.
Felicetta became the first and so far remains the only cat, successfully flew into space. The next launch on October 24 of that year ended tragically for an animal: a cat whose nickname the story is not saved, died. In 1967, France launched two more ships, with monkeys, and although flights were deemed successful, keep up with France could not be a superpower and left the space race.
Not being a space power, France nonetheless participates in space projects. From time to time in the French press the question is being raised of creating your own space program. Time will tell how these conversations end. But whoever planned by the French as a passenger of the ship, it is unlikely there will be a cat.
Time Cats Rat Rocket Dogs USSR USSR
