In 1966, NASA launched Biosatellite I with 13 biology experiments and more than 10 million organisms; its retrorocket failed, and the spacecraft was never recovered

In 1966, NASA's Biosatellite I mission attempted to carry over ten million organisms into orbit, but a retrorocket malfunction led to the capsule's tragic loss upon re-entry. This setback, however, was instrumental, offering invaluable insights that benefitted future space missions. Just months later, Biosatellite II launched successfully, marking a significant advancement and laying foundational knowledge for present-day research on survival in space.