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On this day in space! Sept. 16, 1949: A US launch of a V-2 rocket explodes, killing its monkey passenger Albert III

Written and edited by the WorldPing NewsdeskPublished Updated Original reporting: Space.com
On this day in space! Sept. 16, 1949: A US launch of a V-2 rocket explodes, killing its monkey passenger Albert IIIWorldPing
Image via Space.com.

What happened

16, 1949, the U.S. launched a V-2 rocket with a monkey named Albert III on board.

Here's how it happened and why it mattered.

Key facts

  • 16, 1949, the U.S. launched a V-2 rocket with a monkey named Albert III on board.
  • Reported by Space.com and published Wed, 16 Sep 2026 15:00:00 UTC.

Why it matters

Research findings and mission results set the evidence base that policy, funding and later discoveries build on.

What to watch next

  • Peer review status and replication of the findings
  • Mission milestones and next scheduled attempt
  • Funding or policy decisions that follow

Coverage timeline

When each newsroom published on this story, oldest first — all times UTC.

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  4. On this day in space! Sept. 16, 1949: A US launch of a V-2 rocket explodes, killing its monkey passenger Albert III

Sources

The original report was published by Space.com. WorldPing does not claim that reporting — this page summarises and contextualises it.

Read the full report at Space.com

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