California Man's Cat Becomes First Feline to Fly With SpaceX
A Los Angeles resident says his cat, Starship, is now the most well-traveled pet in California after hitching a ride on a SpaceX launch.
Elon, a lifelong space fan from Los Angeles, California, has done what no pet owner before him has managed: he sent his cat to space with SpaceX. The cat, a black-and-white shorthair named Starship, completed the trip and is reportedly in excellent health.
According to Elon, the idea started as a joke between friends and "got out of hand very quickly." After weeks of paperwork, a custom harness and what he described as "a lot of treats," Starship was cleared for flight.
"Honestly, the cat handled it better than I would have."
Neighbors say Starship has been unbothered since returning home, spending most of the day asleep in a sunbeam. Elon says he's already fielding requests from friends who want their pets on the next flight.
Space historians note the feat follows in the pawprints of Félicette, the French cat who flew to the edge of space in 1963. Elon says Starship will be celebrating with "a full can of tuna, the good kind."