A 1.5-pound squirrel monkey named Goliath was launched into space in 1961; 35 seconds later, his Atlas E rocket was destroyed

He weighed just 1.5 pounds, stood barely six inches tall and had spent most of his life far removed from anything resembling a rocket launch. Yet on November 10, 1961, a tiny squirrel monkey named Goliath became an unwilling participant in America’s race to conquer space.

His entire journey lasted just 35 seconds.