The Flying Ace, a.k.a. Snoopy the beloved beagle from Charles M. Schulz's comic strip Peanuts, didn't just fly planes. He also flew to the moon.

In January 1967, NASA experienced its first major space age tragedy: astronauts Virgil I. "Gus" Grissom, Edward H. White II and Roger B. Chaffee were killed when their Apollo 1 command module caught fire during a ground test.

See also: How a schoolteacher helped create the first black Peanuts character

After the fire, NASA was tasked to create a new safety program, called the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Manned Flight Awareness Program for all of its employees not only to help prevent incidents in the future, but also to raise awareness. At the time, Peanuts, and especially Snoopy, was a household name, and the little cartoon beagle turned out to be the perfect mascot.

Apollo 10 pilot Eugene A. Cernan talking to a plush "Snoopy" in front of mission simulator.

It was Al Chop, director of public affairs at the Manned Spacecraft Center, now known as Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, who had the idea to use Snoopy as NASA's safety mascot. United Feature Syndicate, former distributor of the Peanuts brand, as well as Charles Schulz himself got involved with the program.

By March 1968, Snoopy was a full-fledged astronaut — and his mission was inspiring other NASA employees and contractors with the Silver Snoopy Award. This special honor is given to any non-military professional in recognition of their dedication to flight safety and successful missions.

"Schulz actually drew the original design for that lapel pin," said Corry Kanzenburg, curator to the Charles M. Schulz Museum, to Mashable. The museum held an exhibition exploring the history of Snoopy and space flight called To The Moon: Snoopy Soars with NASA in 2009.

The Silver Snoopy Award, tie pin.

Between 1968 and September 2013, the award has been given out to more than 14,000 people, and it is considered one of the highest honors for workers in the aerospace industry.

But even though he was all about safety, Snoopy's involvement with the great space race has a little bit of adventure as well. Shultz continued his dedication to the program by creating some original artwork, including a comic that took Snoopy straight to the moon.

Snoopy actually beat everyone to the moon via comic strip and his flying dog house in March 1969 — four months before Neil Armstrong's famous small step for man and giant leap for mankind.

Not bad for a beagle.

Apollo 10 astronauts were enthusiastic to have Snoopy flying by their side — at least in the form of plush animals and insignia. The mission, which was called a "dress rehearsal" for the Apollo 11 Moon landing, would test all procedures and modules, including a lunar module named Snoopy and a command module named Charlie Brown — the perfect task for a dog committed to safety.

However, Kanzenberg noted, Snoopy — the Apollo 10 lunar module — is still in space. Recently, some attempts have been made to find the lost module on the moon, but so far the last known records of Snoopy's movement go back more than 40 years and there are many environmental factors for astronomers to consider if they have hope of finding it.

Snoopy and Charlie Brown became semi-official mascots of the mission, however they were not included on the official mission logo.

Products like stuffed toys were like coworkers wandering the halls alongside other NASA employees. Kanzenberg noted a picture of flight secretary Jayme Flowers in May 1969, who is holding a stuffed Snoopy while astronaut Tom Stafford walks by, patting it on the nose.

The Apollo 10 crew leaves the Kennedy Space Center during the Apollo 10 prelaunch countdown.

"She's waiting in the hallway to play a joke on one of the astronauts, Eugene Cernan...[The museum has] other photographs...where Cernan kind of turns the tables on [Flowers] and kind of goes to grab [Flowers] as if she's wind up going on the moon with them. So it's very cute," she said.

Through the end of the '60s and beyond, Snoopy has continued to be an enduring and friendly icon for NASA — representing not only safety but also a curiosity and wonder that can only come from a cartoon pup.

"He's just this iconic American character. He's continued to represent the safety program at NASA," Kanzenberg said.

The beagle has a 5-foot tall statue at the Kennedy Space Center, commemorating his involvement in the Apollo 10 mission.

The Apollo 10 astronauts pause with a banner of comic strip character