Space Jigsaw Puzzles (1970?)

A different post today highlighting a "space toy."  Besides all the toy rockets and astronauts, there were a few educational toys that probably were meant to teach about space flight. 

Judy/Instructo are well known mostly for puzzles that ended up in classrooms. They did a variety of types but the ones I remember are the wooden ones with 12-18 pieces. I can find puzzles made by them back into the 1950s. These puzzle are from the "Space Exploration Series"  I am guessing they are from the early 1970s.

Other Judy puzzles about space include "Space Walk", Man on the Moon", 

Russian fictional trip to the moon (1970)

Winged samaras on the Moon. J. Miltenov.Illustrated by Nikolai Mirchev. Sofia: Bulgarian Artist. 45 p. 30 cm, 1970.

I am sure that is not the title but the google translate options does not work well.  Here is what the seller typed:

"Курносик на Луне" 

Samaras are a one-winged seed, like a maple seed. Feel free to give me a more correct title in the comments.

A readers comments: "Курносик на Луне"... "Курносик" is a boy's name (surname or nickname). For example it means he has a snub nose."

It is a fictional story really only by the inclusion of a cosmonaut smaller than a lady bug. :)

 This is on of the stranger illustrations I have seen in these books. I wish I knew what the story says at this point.

Amadeo Astronauta (1963)

Amadeo astronauta. written and illustrated by Juan Ferrándiz. Barcelona : Edigraf. 16 p.  ; 25 cm. 1963

I think it was first published in 1958 by Vilcar. So this is probably the 3rd edition.

A Spanish children's book from Madrid.  It seems to have been reprinted several times.  While fictional, the "astrofuturistic" or "retrofuturism" painted illustrations are something to see. It is the same old story of an Uncle who builds a rocket.

For the full text in Spanish see here: http://electrogermen.blogspot.com/2010/12/amadeo-astronauta.html

"Everyone talks about interplanetary travel, but I still have not told anyone the fantastic adventure that I just lived. You will be the first to know it: My uncle, a scientist in the use of atomic energy, built in secret, an aircraft for the purpose of visiting Mars. I insisted on accompanying him, convinced him to prepare our trip and on schedule, we went to the shed where he hid his strange sidereal device.

Sitting in the cockpit, each with spacesuits, my uncle and I at the power controls. We connect the drive and our ship shot toward the starry sky like a giant rocket verbena. Soon behind our planet was getting smaller to resemble an insignificant star. For how many months we sailed out? Given the vastness of the universe we lost track of time."

I tried to use Google Translate to get the text on this first page (but didn't have the patience to do them all).

But the story seems pretty clear from the illustrations.

 They have been watching us and are worried about our atomic tests.

 We are the only planet not part of our Solar System's "Congress"

You can not help but love the modernist architecture of their homes.

"1993???? Out of This World" World Week, March 4, 1953

World Week from Scholastic seems to have been a school publication that competed with My Weekly Reader. I had not seen this photograph of the "Travel Desk" at the Hayden Planetarium before (Blogged about here: http://dreamsofspace.blogspot.com/2011/03/line-forms-here-for-trip-to-moon-1952.html )

"We know more right now about what is required of a space ship...than the ship builders of Columbus' day knew about what makes a ship seaworthy."

"Next Stop The Moon" Collier's Sept 7, 1946

I am fascinated by the Collier's "Man Will Conquer Space Soon!" 8 magazine series (1952-1954). It laid out a well-articulated plan for the general public to understand America's possible future in space.

Recently I came across the Sept 7, 1946 issue of Collier's which also laid out a vision for how America might choose to explore space. Although not as visual as the 1950s Collier's (and not really for children), it is an interesting popularization of spaceflight.

"The first trip is not going to be a Sunday-afternoon picnic. It will be physically arduous and it will cost a tremendous sum of money..."

Pendray's primary employment was in public relations; however, he always was interested in rocketry. He was an early experimenter with liquid propulsion rockets. Pendray was a contemporary of Robert H. Goddard, whose papers he later edited with Goddard's widow. Pendray and his associates worked on the beginnings of rocket development and technology, which led to his founding of the American Interplanetary Society [which was renamed the American Rocket Society (ARS)] in 1930.

"He will need some kind of 'moon suit,' a highly developed, thoroughly planned, all-enclosing mobile shelter that will provide air at atmospheric pressure like a diver's suit."

"...therefore, control of the moon in the interplanetary world of the atomic future could mean military control of our whole portion of the solar system. Its dominance could include not only the earth but also Mars and Venus..."

"The same atomic power, however, could be used constructively in ferrying humans to the moon."

"The moon, therefore, is well worth studying these days. It may be the fortress of the next conquerer of the earth. It may also be the first stop on the interplanetary transportation system of the next century."