NASA plans "retro 1960 missions" where it will send rats and fruit flies into outer space to better understand the effects of microgravity on living organisms.

The rat astronauts are expected to spend anywhere of 30 to 90 days aboard the International Space Station (ISS). This is a big leap in procedure since rats before only stayed in space for a maximum of two weeks.

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Rats were chosen over mice because the former have neurocognitive functions that more closely resembles humans'.

Researchers said the success of the rats in space mission will be followed up by sending fruit flies to the ISS. The short life spans of fruit flies will enable scientists to study changes in the insects over multiple generations.

The fruit fly has 700 to 900 identical genes for human diseases, allowing scientists to research more into these, as well.

Animals are used for experimental processes in space only if absolutely necessary. There are some experiments, however, where only animals can be used.

Laura Lewis, a member of NASA's Ames Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee assured that during the rare times animals are used for experiments in space, their welfare is a sole concern for researchers.

The rats and fruit flies will be taken to the ISS by SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft. The actual schedule for taking the rats to the ISS and returning them to Earth hasn't been released.

A SpaceX Dragon spacecraft normally launches supplies to the ISS then returns cargo to Earth. The spacecraft does a water splashdown and spends some time bobbing on ocean waves before being towed to port. That could be uncomfortable for the returning rats.

TagsNASA, ISS, Rats to space