September 18, 1968 is the day the Soviet space probe, Zond 5 became the first spacecraft to fly around the moon and return to Earth. It was designed to launch from Earth orbit, reach the moon and return as a precursor to a possible manned mission. Besides taking photographs of Earth and the Moon, the probe carried a biological payload of insects, bacteria, plants and two Russian steppe tortoises. The Zond 5 returned to Earth to splash down in the Indian Ocean. The probe was recovered and the tortoises survived. They lost some weight and the trip did not affect their appetite. These tortoises were the first tortoises in space and also became the first tortoises to fly around the Moon. Find out what else occurred on this day in science history.
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