<
https://theconversation.com/weve-been-sending-animals-into-space-for-7-decades-yet-there-are-still-no-rules-to-protect-them-from-harm-263332>
"This week, Russia is expected to launch its Bion-M No.2 biosatellite from the
Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, carrying 75 mice and 1,500 fruit flies.
While the mission underscores Russia’s ongoing investment in space medicine, it
reignites ethical concerns over the treatment of animals in space research.
Animals have played a pivotal role in space exploration since the 1950s. The
former Soviet Union’s launch of the stray dog Laika aboard Sputnik 2 in 1957
marked the first living creature in orbit.
Laika’s cramped, stressful conditions and eventual death from oxygen
deprivation highlighted the harsh realities of early space missions.
The US followed suit in 1961 with Ham, a chimpanzee sent on a suborbital flight
to test task performance in space. Ham endured invasive monitoring, electric
shocks for incorrect responses and severe dehydration. Although he recovered
physically, he showed signs of psychological trauma following the mission.
As space exploration expands, the absence of legal protections for animals
becomes increasingly problematic. International regulations are long overdue to
formally recognise the sentience of animals in outer-space law and to safeguard
their welfare before, during and after missions."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
