A review of animal flight experiments

Extensive experience with biologic systems was obtained with a variety of vertebrate species over the past 18 years. Subhuman primates were precursors to man in the American space flight program; dogs and mice were animals of choice for the Soviet program. Recent attempts to use heavily instrumented animals for observations of long-term physiological effects indicate problems which must be corrected in future experiments for monitoring the effects of environmental stresses over the longer periods required for accomplishing meaningful habitation in near-Earth orbit or for travel to nearby planets.