Photo Gallery
Monkeynauts and Astrochimps
Overview
Display location:
Early Space Program
Part of the early space program involved bioflights – rocket flights with living creatures aboard a space capsule. While some of the more well-known bioflight involved dogs, monkeys and chimpanzees, there were other flights with intects and mice aboard. Known bioflights from all countries are listed in this display.
All bioflights had a single purpose, which was to understand the effects of space flight on living things in preparation for human space flight.
Astrochimps
The bioflight display of “Monkeynauts” and “Astrochimps” features the Mercury Capsule Chimpanzee Couch, a very popular exhibit for visitors of all ages. The couch was used in the Mercury program as an adapter to allow chimpanzee astronaut to comfortably ride in the Mercury capsule.
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