Félicette was actually a stray Parisian cat who was the only cat successfully launched into space. She was launched on 18 October 1963 as part of the French space program. Félicette was one of 14 female cats trained for spaceflight. The cats had electrodes implanted onto their skulls so the neurological activity could be monitored throughout the flight. Electrical impulses were applied to the brain and also a leg during the flight to stimulate responses. The capsule was then recovered 13 minutes after the rocket was ignited. Most of the data from the mission were of good quality, and Félicette survived the flight. Unfortunately, a second feline got sent killed in a launch mishap on 24 October 1963.
For those who might not know, Félicette had the designation of C 341 before the flight, and after the flight, the media gave her the name Félix, after Félix the Cat. Centre d’Enseignement et de Recherches de Médecine Aéronautique (CERMA) modified this to the feminine Félicette and adopted it as her official name. She has been commemorated on postage stamps all around the world and also a statue with her likeness is on display at the International Space University. In addition, France’s feline biological rocket payloads were preceded by rats and followed by monkeys.
The particular astronauts-in-training were subjected to compression chambers, small containers, and a centrifuge, all in an effort to find the feline that was the best fit for space. Félicette ultimately proved herself, and in the month of October 1963, she was strapped into a container inside a Véronique rocket and launched from a base in the Sahara desert. She flew about 100 miles above Earth and spent several minutes in zero gravity. That was how the travel goes.
Then, almost as soon as she arrived, the capsule detached from the rocket and she parachuted safely to the ground, where she was retrieved by scientists. The trip lasted 15 minutes. More than 1,100 patrons donated to honor the cat.
Sources: YouTube Mr. Scientific, Space.com.
