Félicette: The Parisian Stray Who Became the First Cat in Space
On October 18, 1963, a stray tuxedo cat named Félicette became the first and only feline to travel to space. Launched by France on a Véronique AG1 rocket, she reached an altitude of 130 miles before safely parachuting back to Earth. Although she survived the flight, she was euthanized two months later for scientific study. A subsequent cat launch failed, leading France to shift its animal research focus to monkeys.