In 2007, a cockroach named Nadezhda (meaning "Hope" in Russian) became the first creature to reproduce in space aboard the Russian biosatellite Foton-M3. This was part of an experiment aimed at studying the effects of space conditions on biological organisms, including insects. During the mission, two cockroaches successfully mated, and their offspring were born in orbit. Scientists were particularly interested in how space factors such as microgravity and cosmic radiation would impact reproduction and development in animals.
The findings showed that the space-born cockroaches were healthy and grew at a normal rate compared to those on Earth. Interestingly, the space-bred cockroaches developed slightly faster than their Earth counterparts.
#science #space #physics #satellite
