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Tuesday 19 July 2011

Spaced Out - Sepia Saturday

Alan's photo for this week is a researcher testing out an early space suit for the Apollo Moon Project. I thought I would acknowledge the debt we owe to animals that led the way in space. I hope you like my choice.

Enos
Chimpanzee Enos is pictured wearing a space suit and lying in his flight couch as a handler holds his hands. He is being prepared for insertion into the Mercury-Atlas 5 capsule. You may read his story at here. There is also a film clip of his journey into space which you may like to see Enos space flight.

Not so well known is the story of Teddy Bears in space.

Teddies in space
(Image courtesy of the University of Cambridge Department of Engineering and Nokia;
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license)
 
Four teddy bears travelled(voyaged) to the edge of space in an experiment run by Cambridge University Spaceflight, with the SPARKS science club at Parkside Community College and Coleridge Community College. The bears were lifted to 30,085 metres above sea level on a latex high altitude balloon filled with helium. The aim of the experiment was to determine which materials provided the best insulation against the -53 ° C temperatures experienced during the journey. Each of the bears wore a different space suit designed by the 11-13 year olds from SPARKS.

Im sure you all remember the Russian dogs that were sent into orbit in the early days of space flight. They deserve a tribute and I found this,
Belka & Strelka space dogs on graffiti, Kharkov 2008
(By V Vizu - Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license)
Don't forget to check out other space odysses at Sepia Saturday 84

12 comments:

Christine H. said...

You have taken this theme to new heights...(well, somebody had to say it!)

Postcardy said...

It would be interesting to know what Enos thought about his adventure. At least he survived.

Little Nell said...

Oh poor old Enos - and then being ‘unceremoniously discarded’! I loved the helium-assisted teddies. Well done Bob for reminding us about the animals (and stuffed toys) part in this.

tony said...

I Always Wondered What Happened To My Childhood Teddie!

Unknown said...

Oh the space teddies! And the monkeys, which I'd forgotten about. Good reminder.

Alan Burnett said...

As far as the Teddy experiment is concerned - do we know what fabric provided the best protection? It is just that winter is not too far away, and after last winter ... well it is best to be prepared.

Jinksy said...

The teddies, for some reason, made me think of the Disney soundtrack, probably from Dumbo, when the song being sung was - "When I see an elephant fly"!!!

Tattered and Lost said...

I always felt so bad for the chimp and the dogs. The people had a choice, but the poor dogs. Horrible deaths.

I do like the Bears in Space!

Sheila @ A Postcard a Day said...

It's the first I've heard of the teddy bears.....

PattyF said...

Very nice tribute, Bob. I didn't know about the teddies!

Howard said...

Those poor teddies! Seriously though, the Americans and Russians had little thought for the welfare of the animals they sent into space.

Bruno Laliberté said...

i barely broached the subject, and you made it your whole theme. nicely done!! color me surprised about the teddy bears!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
:D~
HUGZ