Last year, more than half of the 45 mice aboard a Bion-M1 capsule died during its flight, the first Russian mission to launch animals into space in 17 years. And as for the rest of the species, they were euthanized on landing so scientists could see how much they had been affected.
Now, sadly, it looks like we can add another five to the death toll. A bunch of swinging gecko-lovers are spiraling uncontrolled through space aboard Russia’s Foton-M4 satellite and are unlikely to set their sticky little feet on anyone’s ceiling again.
At least they’re all on an excellent mission – to make a two-month long space sex tape for Russian scientists to watch … and monitor the effects of gravity on sexual behavior and embryonic development.
Some fruit flies and mushrooms are also along with them for the ride, but it’s unlikely any will return.
Russia’s Progress space firm said it could still contact the satellite, “and in particular, the experiment with the geckos is working according to the programme,” a spokesman said.
But ground controllers cannot start the satellite onboard engine. It can run on autopilot for up to another two months, but it is currently trapped in an orbit that will eventually drag it back to Earth.
The module is equipped to survive the landing, but it’s likely the geckos will starve to death before it surrenders to Earth’s gravitational field.
At least they died doing (hopefully, for the sake of science) what they loved.
NOW WATCH: Here Are All The Awful Things That Happen To Your Body In Space