Space monkeys!!!At that point just before we started launching me into space, there were space monkeys (and chimps) who took that heroic journey. That era lasted a relatively short time but fiction about those animals persisted.
Kravetz, Nathan. Illustrated by Susan Perl. A Monkey's Tale. Boston : Little, Brown. 57 p. 21 cm.
As a way to explain and make the whole launch into space process accessible to children primates in space was a favorite fictional topic. I have collected a number of these because of the illustrations that depict the real Mercury-style launches.
Also a little space humor doesn't hurt. The story revolves around a rocket that is launched too soon during a test.
Upon attaining orbit the monkey is able to repair a malfunctioning Russian manned capsule and able to trigger the re-entry of both capsules. This double landing is a great illustration of how the recovery felt to those who were there. Returning from the unknown whether primate or human left everyone with an enormous sense of relief.
This is getting too weird. First, the other day, I ask you about that "Space Age" poster, something I'd been meaning to do for many months -- and you've just bought a copy from eBay. Today, you run a post about space monkeys -- and earlier in the day, for no particular reason, I'd devoted several minutes of thought to my two favorite astral primates, Mona the Woolly Monkey and Debbie the Bloop!
ReplyDeleteThe Cosmic Coincidence Control Center continues its efforts....
Anyhow, I wonder how the Russian crew felt (other than thankful) about having their craft repaired by a monkey. An American monkey!
-- Michael S.