Experimentation on rodents and newts, though, is a different story. Because the ISS wasn’t equipped to house this particular mix of animals without possible health risk to its crew, the month-long Russian mission took place in an isolated spacecraft. In addition to cameras, the flying pet store of death was also equipped with sensors to track the heart rates and blood pressure of its tiny crew, who were launched in separate containers but were apparently allowed to mingle during the flight.

“This is the first time that animals have flown in space for so long on their own,” noted Sychov after the mission. The surviving animals (which also included “snails, some plants, and microflora”) have been moved from the landing area in Orenburg to Moscow for further testing.