
In the early morning hours of October 18, 1963, a little-known but remarkable event in the annals of space exploration unfolded in the Algerian Sahara. At the Interarmy Special Vehicles Test Centre, a small black and white ‘tuxedo’ cat named Félicette made history as the first and only feline to survive a trip into space. 60 years later, we look back at the bold journey that this Parisian stray embarked on, a tale often overshadowed by the more celebrated canine and primate voyages.
Félicette’s journey began with the selection of fourteen female cats by France’s space agency, CERMA (Centre d’Enseignement et de Recherches de Médecine Aéronautique), who fitted them with electrodes to record their neurological activity. Chosen for their calm demeanor, these cats underwent rigorous training to prepare them for the confines of space travel, including sessions in centrifuges and exposure to the rocket’s noise.

Among the cohort, Félicette, initially identified only as ‘C341,’ emerged as the prime candidate due to her serene nature and ideal weight. On the day of the launch, she was placed in a capsule atop the Véronique AG1 47 sounding rocket. As the clock struck 8:09 a.m., the rocket blazed skyward, carrying Félicette to a height of 157 kilometers, where she experienced around five minutes of weightlessness.
This suborbital flight, lasting just 13 minutes, would be a key milestone in the French space program and the scientific study of spaceflight effects on biology. Upon her safe return, the unnamed ‘C341’ was dubbed “Félicette,” after the French media initially nicknamed her “Félix,” not realizing the pioneering space traveler was female.
The contribution of Félicette and other animals to spaceflight research cannot be overstated. Although their stories may evoke mixed emotions due to the era’s treatment of animal astronauts, the data from Félicette’s voyage provided invaluable insights into the physiological changes experienced during space travel. It paved the way for human spaceflight, with a focus on understanding the effects of weightlessness on the body.

Regrettably, two months after her remarkable journey, Félicette was euthanized so scientists could study the impact of spaceflight on her body. Sadly, no significant discoveries resulted from this posthumous examination, and no further feline space voyages ensued. Nevertheless, her legacy lives on, with a statue erected in her honor at the International Space University Campus in Strasbourg, where she sits atop the globe, gazing towards the heavens.
As we look up to the stars, the tale of Félicette serves as a poignant reminder of the lesser-known heroes of the space race. Her statue, unveiled on December 18, 2019, stands not only as a tribute to her but also as a reflection on the ethical progression in our treatment of animals within scientific research. While our methods have evolved since those early expeditions, the bravery and contributions of these animal astronauts continue to inspire curiosity and gratitude.
Relevant articles:
– Felicette: How France launched the first cat into space 60 years ago, EL PAÍS English
– The story of Félicette, the first cat in space, BBC Sky at Night Magazine
– First cat in space: how a Parisian stray called Félicette was blasted far from Earth, The Guardian
– Felicette – The Space Cat, WordPress.com