Hey diddle diddle / The cat and the fiddle / The cow jumped over the moon… It might seem like a simple nursery rhyme, but to an extent, it rings true: Animals have long blazed trails for human space explorers.
Now comes word that a feline from Iran will be the latest to join this storied group of travelers.
Mohammad Ebrahimi, a senior space program official for the Iranian government, announced Monday that the country plans to send a cat—Persian, of course—to space. This comes on the heels of Iran's unconfirmed attempt to send a monkey earlier this year.
That news made us wonder: What other types of animals have been sent into space?
(Related: "The Unsung Heroes of the Space Program.")
Here are some common—and odd—animals who have reached for the stars.