Learning Notebook - David Rostcheck
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The first vertebrates to ever reach the Moon were not humans, or even mammals. They were tortoises. The reptiles encircled the Moon aboard the Zond 5 spacecraft as part of the Soviet Zond program in September of 1968. The capsule contained diverse cargo with the objective to analyze how radiation affected their composition. Two tortoises, fruit fly eggs, plants, bacteria, and vegetables, were all on board. When the Zond 5 splashed down in the Indian ocean, it became only the second spacecraft to circle the Moon and the first to return safely to Earth. The Soviets were undoubtedly happy to see the traveling turtles again.
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