1959: Space monkeys (Universal News)

Monkeys "Able" and "Baker" became the first monkeys to survive spaceflight after their 1959 flight. On 28 May 1959, aboard Jupiter IRBM AM-18, were a 7-pound (3.18 kg) American-born rhesus monkey, "Able", and an 11 ounce (310 g) squirrel monkey from Peru, "Baker". The monkeys rode in the nosecone of the missile to an altitude of 360 miles (579 km) and a distance of 1700 miles (2735 km) down the Atlantic Missile Range from Cape Canaveral, Florida. They withstood forces 38 times the normal pull of gravity and were weightless for about 9 minutes. A top speed of 10 000 mph (16 000 km/h) was reached during their 16 minute flight. The monkeys survived the flight in good condition. "Able" died four days after the flight from a reaction to anesthesia, while undergoing surgery to remove an infected medical electrode. "Baker" lived until 29 November 1984, at the US Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama.

Creative Commons licence: Video derives from the Universal International News archive which has been placed in the public domain.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• 1959
• iaf
• space
• monkey
• able
• baker

[iafastro]

@FeelItInMyBonesx Glad we could help :)

[sampsoninc916]

You can see Able the space monkey alongside his pal, Dexter in Night at the Museum 2: Battle of the Smithsonian. Able gets to do slapping in this one, too.

[fidely]

"First Creatures Out of Space in All History" how arrogant. No wonder we are still crawling like worms, the mass controls has been going on since before I was born.

[chrisconwaypeters]

be afraid



[SapPhiReSparKleS14]

Miss Baker is burried here in Huntsville Alabama at the Space and Rocket center.

My 7yr old daughter just loves this video about the monkey's! We have a picture of her uncle with Miss Baker in the 70's before she died.

[chrisconwaypeters]

big mistake

[MrToiletface]

lol 4 different monkeys.

[juhnom]

I'm wondering...were those monkeys really alright after the landing... ? I won't be surprised if those last ones were doubles.

[horrormoviefan20]

@jeremyhillaryboobphd I know I got way to defensive... But what do you mean when you said "Also, Independence, Kansas?"

[jeremyhillaryboobphd]

@horrormoviefan20 hahaha waay too defensive but yeah i can see you have some sense, and yes your comment did not show that. I wasn't necessarily just referring to you but a generalisation of americans. I don't check my spelling and grammar, or attempt to even get it perfect, but if your going to get stickly about it probably better not to put retard as a proper noun in the same sentence :P. Also, Indepedence, Kansas? Come on... lol

[horrormoviefan20]

@jeremyhillaryboobphd I don't even remember writing that comment. I acted stupid in the comment. But I just thought it was interesting that one of the monkeys is from my home town... You don't have to troll me you know? I know a troll when I see one, and I can gladly say that YOU are a successful one. But I admit to the fact, that I didn't need to act so annoying in my comment...

[horrormoviefan20]

@jeremyhillaryboobphd Though I didn't have anything to do with them. I WASN'T asking for attention for this fact. All I was thinking was that it was of some significance that they were from my town, I wrote that comment 6 months ago to. Also, your calling me a Retard, but did you take the time to look at you're grammar? I may make spelling errors, but I TRY to check my spelling errors. I am not asking for attention. I simply thought it was neat that they were from my town, and got to excited.