MAY 18, 2012
Gordo was one of the first monkeys to travel into space. As part of the NASA space program, Gordo, also known as "Old Reliable", was launched from Cape Canaveral on December 13, 1958 in the U.S. Jupiter AM-13 rocket. The rocket would travel over 1500 miles and reach a height of 310 miles (500 km).
He successfully flew in space but then was brutally murdered by the humans who designed the nose cone to sink in the ocean after it's return to earth.
Although regarded as a success by space experts, the mission has been heavily criticized by animal welfare groups.
The American Embassy in London received protests from the League Against Cruel Sports and the Conference of Anti-Vivisection Societies, which is made up of 29 animal welfare groups.
A statement from the League Against Cruel Sports read: "Such action as this falls within the category of scientific devilry rather than scientific research."
It added: "In the name of humanity we beg of you to drop these vile experiments."
The statement from the Conference of Anti-Vivisection Societies had the same tone. It read: "Cowardly acts such as this can never be justified on the grounds of expediency a...
He successfully flew in space but then was brutally murdered by the humans who designed the nose cone to sink in the ocean after it's return to earth.
Although regarded as a success by space experts, the mission has been heavily criticized by animal welfare groups.
The American Embassy in London received protests from the League Against Cruel Sports and the Conference of Anti-Vivisection Societies, which is made up of 29 animal welfare groups.
A statement from the League Against Cruel Sports read: "Such action as this falls within the category of scientific devilry rather than scientific research."
It added: "In the name of humanity we beg of you to drop these vile experiments."
The statement from the Conference of Anti-Vivisection Societies had the same tone. It read: "Cowardly acts such as this can never be justified on the grounds of expediency a...
