First animals and plants to leave Earth orbit

The Zond 5 mission marked a pivotal achievement in space exploration as it was the first mission to carry living organisms beyond Earth orbit. Launched by the USSR, Zond 5 successfully transported a variety of biological specimens, including tortoises, fruit flies, and seeds, on a journey that took them around the Moon before returning to Earth. This mission was significant not only for its biological payload but also for its technological advancements, as it represented the first successful recovery of a lunar spacecraft. The data collected from Zond 5 provided valuable insights into the effects of space travel on living organisms, contributing to the understanding of how life could potentially survive in extraterrestrial environments. The mission's success laid the groundwork for future manned missions to the Moon and beyond, demonstrating the feasibility of long-duration space travel and the importance of biological research in space.