Space: Animal Testing

Before man went into space, animals were used as living test subjects, sent into space in rockets. Monkeys and apes in particular were used because of their physical similarity to humans, forcibly strapped into rockets with their vital signs monitored. 

Many animals were killed on these dangerous missions. 

Looking into the use of animals for exploration has been really interesting, and something I was eager to do an image about. The number and and extensive range of animals used in space exploration research in one form or another has been a real eye opener. All sorts of animals have been used in dangerous rocket testing, as well as sent up to the labs in space stations for research. I didn't really want to get too political about it, but the cruelty factor of some of the stuff they put the animals through is pretty high. Treated as dispensable and strapped to rockets, often hooked up lots of wires in confined spaces, is no better than whats done to them on earth in medical testing.

On the other hand, the fact that we may never have ventured into space, or made hundreds of other discoveries and technological advancements without animal testing presents an interesting dilemma....hmmm.

The image above was to try and represent the idea that they are still caged and imprisoned in order to make it safe for human astronauts to do something that could be considered completely freeing and a privilege...

 I've got another image in the works for the underwater exploration counterpart to this image (and by in the works, i mean in my head...) so I'll post that up when it's done obviously.

Over and out.