Monkeys paved the way for us to reach the moon and now Russian scientists are hoping the animals will be key to getting a human colony to Mars.

Experts from the Russian Academy Of Science are training four rhesus macaques to travel into space and land on the red planet - although it is unclear if they will also bring them back.

This training, which includes using a joystick and solving puzzles, should make them capable to man a mission within the next two years.

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Experts from the Russian Academy Of Science are training four rhesus macaques (one pictured) to travel into space and land on Mars. This training, which includes using a joystick and solving puzzles, should make them capable to man a mission to the red planet within the next two years

The program launched in the 1980s and is being carried out at the Institute of Biomedical Problems, based at the academy.

For scientific projects such as these, monkeys are hand-reared in special farms, where only the most intelligent are selected to take part in the research.

PRIMATES IN SPACE Ham (pictured) was launched into space as part of America's space program in January 1961 The first primate to go to space was Albert I in June 1948 on a US military V-2 rocket. He suffocated and died during the flight. A year later a second V-2 took Albert II to an altitude of 438,250ft (83 miles), the rocket returned but Albert II died on impact. In December that year, Albert IV was sent into space wired up to machines that monitored his health. He suffered no ill effects while in space but, like Albert II, he died on impact. It took another two years before another monkey, this time called Yorick, made the journey to 263,000ft (50 miles) and survived. . Ham, also known as Ham the Astrochimp, was launched into space as part of America's space program in January 1961. His vital signs and tasks were monitored during his 16 minute and 39 second fight and he splashed down into the Atlantic Ocean. Advertisement

All four of the rhesus macaques in this latest study were chosen for their cognitive abilities and their quick-learning skills, explained the scientists.

Each day a team, led by Inessa Kozlovskaya, trains the monkeys to control a joystick and hit a target highlighted by a cursor.

When they complete the task successfully they are rewarded with a sip of juice.

Once they have mastered this task the macaques will be trained to solve simple mathematical tasks and puzzles.

At the end of their training the creatures should be capable of completing a daily schedule of tasks on their own.

The scientists are hoping this will be achieved by 2017.

Dr Kozlovskaya said the main goal is to teach monkeys to perform a particular range of tasks which they will be able to remember.

'What we are trying to do is to make them as intelligent as possible so we can use them to explore space beyond our orbit,' she said.

The team is also hoping that the space monkeys will be able to train others and integrate them into the team.

Macaques typically have a lifespan of around 25 years, so it is hoped there is enough time to train them properly and for them to survive the six-month trip to Mars, added the team.

The first primate to go to space was Albert I in June 1948 on a US military V-2 rocket.

He suffocated and died during the flight.

A year later, almost to the day, a second V-2 took Albert II to an altitude of 438,250ft (83 miles), the rocket returned but Albert II died on impact.

In December that year, Albert IV was sent into space wired up to machines that monitored his health.

He suffered no ill effects while in space but, like Albert II, he died on impact.

It took another two years before another monkey, this time called Yorick, made the journey to 263,000ft (50 miles) with 11 mice. Yorick was the first primate to survive a space trip.

Ham, also known as Ham the Astrochimp, was then launched into space as part of America's space program in January 1961.

Every day, a team trains the monkeys to control a joystick and hit a target highlighted by a cursor (pictured). Once they have mastered this task, the macaques will be trained to solve mathematical tasks and puzzles

When the monkeys complete the tasks successfully they are rewarded with a sip of juice (pictured). At the end of their training the creatures should be capable of completing a daily schedule of tasks on their own

His vital signs and tasks were monitored and he was able to pull levers during the flight, demonstrating that these tasks could be performed in space.

His total flight time was 16 minutes and 39 seconds and he splashed down into the Atlantic Ocean.

Dogs have also been sent into space.

In the early 1950s, the Soviets sent two, called Dezik and Tsygan, into orbit and they survived.

Dezik died during a second flight, alongside a dog named Lisa. Another two died on a subsequent trip.

Dr Kozlovskaya said that the main goal is to teach monkeys to perform a particular range of tasks which they will be able to remember. Macaques typically have a lifespan of around 25 years, so it is hoped there is enough time to train them properly and for them to survive the six-month trip to Mars, added the team

Elsewhere, Nasa is hoping to get to Mars by the 2030s.

In addition to its rovers, the space agency is currently investigating the long-term effects of space travel on humans as part of its twins study.

Astronaut Scott Kelly is more than half-way through a year-long stay on board the ISS, while his brother Mark has remained on Earth.

Nasa plans to study how Scott responds to life in space by comparing his body to his brother's on his return next year.

The first primate to go to space was Albert I in June 1948 on a US military V-2 rocket. He suffocated and died during the flight. In 1961, Ham (pictured) the Astrochimp was sent into space and his vital signs and tasks were monitored. He splashed down into the Atlantic Ocean 16 minutes and 39 seconds later