Media Group: Monkeys in Space

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Sam the Monkey After His Rid …
Title Sam the Monkey After His Ride in the Little Joe 2 Spacecraft
Full Description Sam, the Rhesus monkey, after his ride in the Little Joe-2 (LJ-2) spacecraft. A U.S. Navy destroyer safely recovered Sam after he experienced three minutes of weightlessness during the flight. Animals were often used during test flights for Project Mercury to help determine the effects of spaceflight and weightlessness on humans. LJ-2 was one in a series of flights that led up to the human orbital flights of NASA's Project Mercury program. The Little Joe rocket booster was developed as a cheaper, smaller, and more functional alternative to the Redstone rockets. Little Joe could be produced at one-fifth the cost of Redstone rockets and still have enough power to carry a capsule payload. Seven unmanned Little Joe rockets were launched from Wallops Island, Virginia from August 1959 to April 1961.
Date 12/04/1959
NASA Center Johnson Space Center
Monkey Baker in bio-pack
Name of Image Monkey Baker in bio-pack
Date of Image 1959-05-01
Full Description A squirrel monkey, Baker, in bio-pack couch being readied for Jupiter (AM-18 flight). Jupiter, AM-18 mission, also carried an American-born rhesus monkey, Able into suborbit. The flight was successful and both monkeys were recovered in good condition. AM-18 was launched on May 28, 1959.
Monkey Able After Recovery
Name of Image Monkey Able After Recovery
Date of Image 1959-05-28
Full Description On May 28, 1959, a Jupiter Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile provided by a U.S. Army team in Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, launched a nose cone carrying Baker, A South American squirrel monkey and Able, An American-born rhesus monkey. This photograph shows Able after recovery of the nose cone of the Jupiter rocket by U.S.S. Kiowa.
Monkey Baker at U.S. Space a …
Name of Image Monkey Baker at U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama
Date of Image 1958-05-28
Full Description On May 28, 1958, Jupiter Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile provided by U.S. Army team in Huntsville, Alabama, launched a nose cone carrying Baker, a South American squirrel monkey and Able, an American-born rhesus monkey. Baker, pictured here and commonly known as "Miss Baker", was later given a home at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center until her death on November 29, 1984. Able died in 1958. (Photo - Courtesy of Huntsville/Madison County Public Library)
Monkey Able Being Ready for …
Name of Image Monkey Able Being Ready for preflight Test
Date of Image 1959-05-18
Full Description A squirrel monkey, Able, is being ready for placement into a capsule for a preflight test of Jupiter, AM-18 mission. AM-18 was launched on May 28, 1959 and also carried a rhesus monkey, Baker, into suborbit.
Monkey Baker with a Model Ju …
Name of Image Monkey Baker with a Model Jupiter Vehicle
Date of Image 1959-05-29
Full Description Monkey Baker, payload of Jupiter (AM-18), poses on a model of the Jupiter vehicle, May 29, 1959
The Rhesus monkey, Sam, with …
Title The Rhesus monkey, Sam, with Mercury fiberglass couch
Description The test subject, a rhesus monkey named Sam, is seen encased in a model of the Mercury fiberglass contour couch. He will be flown on the Little Joe 2 as a test subject.
Date 10.23.1963
Squirrel monkey similar to t …
Title Squirrel monkey similar to those selected for science module of Spacelab 3
Description A squireel monkey similiar to those selected to fly aboard the science module of Spacelab 3 in Challenger's cargo bay for STS 51-B.
Date Taken 1985-05-01
The Rhesus monkey, Sam, afte …
Title The Rhesus monkey, Sam, after his ride in the LJ-2 spacecraft
Description The Rhesus monkey, Sam, and his handler after his ride in the Little Joe 2 (LJ-2) spacecraft. He is still encased in his contour couch.
Date Taken 1963-10-23
The Rhesus monkey, Sam, with …
Title The Rhesus monkey, Sam, with Mercury fiberglass couch
Description The test subject, a rhesus monkey named Sam, is seen encased in a model of the Mercury fiberglass contour couch. He will be flown on the Little Joe 2 as a test subject.
Date Taken 1963-10-23
The Rhesus monkey, Miss Sam, …
Title The Rhesus monkey, Miss Sam, with fiberglass couch, prepared for LJ-1B flight
Description The test subject, a rhesus monkey named Miss Sam, is seen encased in a model of the Mercury fiberglass contour couch. She is being placed in a container for the Little Joe 1B flight.
Date Taken 1959-12-04
PROJECT MERCURY - LITTLE JOE …
Title PROJECT MERCURY - LITTLE JOE TEST - SAM LAUNCHED USING A RHESUS MONKEY
PROJECT MERCURY - LITTLE JOE …
Title PROJECT MERCURY - LITTLE JOE TEST - SAM LAUNCHED USING A RHESUS MONKEY
Miss Baker At Space and Rock …
Name of Image Miss Baker At Space and Rocket Center
Date of Image 1959-06-24
Full Description Miss Baker, a squirrel monkey who made a historical flight aboard the Jupiter (AM-18) in May 1958, is seen here in her viewing area where she resided at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center.
The Rhesus monkey, Miss Sam, …
Title The Rhesus monkey, Miss Sam, with fiberglass couch, prepared for LJ-1B flight
Description The test subject, a rhesus monkey named Miss Sam, is seen encased in a model of the Mercury fiberglass contour couch. She is being placed in a container for the Little Joe 1B flight.
Date 12.04.1959
Little Joe Booster for the L …
Name of Image Little Joe Booster for the LJ1 Mission on the Launch Pad
Date of Image 1960-01-21
Full Description The Little Joe launch vehicle for the LJ1 mission on the launch pad at the wallops Flight Facility, Wallops Island, Virginia, on January 21, 1960. This mission achieved the suborbital Mercury cupsule test, testing of the escape system, and biomedical tests by using a monkey, named Miss Sam.
Prototype Mercury Capsule at …
Title Prototype Mercury Capsule at Langley Workshops
Description Assembling the Little Joe capsules. The capsules were manufactured "in-house" by Langley technicians. Three capsules are shown here in various stages of assembly. The escape tower and rocket motors shown on the completed capsule would be removed before shipping and finally assembly for launching at Wallops Island. Joseph Shortal wrote (vol. 3, p. 32): "Design of the Little Joe capsules began at Langley before McDonnell started on the design of the Mercury capsule and was, therefore, a separate design. Although it was not designed to carry a man, it did have to carry a monkey. It had to meet the weight and center of gravity requirements of Mercury and withstand the same aerodynamic loads during the exit trajectory. Although in comparison with the overall Mercury Project, Little Joe was a simple undertaking, the fact that an attempt was made to condense a normal two-year project into a 6-month one with in house labor turned it into a major undertaking for Langley.
Date 07.30.1959
Mercury Project - Little Joe …
Title Mercury Project - Little Joe capsule
Description Assembling the Little Joe capsule. The capsules were manufactured "in-house" by Langley technicians. Joseph Shortal wrote (vol. 3, pp. 31-32): "Because the Little Joe capsule was to be recovered, it was decided to use extensive onboard recording instrumentation to supplement the usual telemetry of rocket models. The onboard instrumentation was made the responsibility of [C.H. ] Nelson's group [which was responsible for airplane instrumentation]. This was the beginning of the participation of Nelson in space flight activity that was to continue for many years.""Design of the Little Joe capsules began at Langley before McDonnell started on the design of the Mercury capsule and was, therefore, a separate design. Although it was not designed to carry a man, it did have to carry a monkey. It had to meet the weight and center of gravity requirements of Mercury and withstand the same aerodynamic loads during the exit trajectory.""Although in comparison with the overall Mercury Project, Little Joe was a simple undertaking, the fact that an attempt was made to condense a normal two-year project into a 6-month one with in house labor turned it into a major undertaking for Langley.
Date 08.22.1959
Mercury Project - Little Joe …
Title Mercury Project - Little Joe capsule
Description Assembling the Little Joe capsule. This workman signed and taped in a twenty-dollar bill to be carried along with the mission. The capsules were manufactured "in-house" by Langley technicians. Joseph Shortal wrote (vol. 3, p. 32): "Design of the Little Joe capsules began at Langley before McDonnell started on the design of the Mercury capsule and was, therefore, a separate design. Although it was not designed to carry a man, it did have to carry a monkey. It had to meet the weight and center of gravity requirements of Mercury and withstand the same aerodynamic loads during the exit trajectory.""Although in comparison with the overall Mercury Project, Little Joe was a simple undertaking, the fact that an attempt was made to condense a normal two-year project into a 6-month one with in house labor turned it into a major undertaking for Langley.
Date 08.22.1959
Miss Baker At Space and Rock …
Name of Image Miss Baker At Space and Rocket Center
Date of Image 1959-06-24
Full Description Miss Baker, a squirrel monkey who made a historical flight aboard the Jupiter (AM-18) in May 1959, is seen here in her viewing area where she resided at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center.
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