Museum Audio Tour 61: Missile and Space Gallery: Space

DAYTON, OH, UNITED STATES

12.31.1969

Audio by NMUSAF PA 

National Museum of the U.S. Air Force

Since the beginning of space travel, the U.S. Air Force has been an integral player in research and development, as well as a vital partner with NASA. The Missile & Space Gallery guides you through the history of the U.S. Air Force involvement with space through manned-spaceflight, missiles, mice and even monkeys. The first thing you see when entering the gallery is the Apollo 15 command module, named Endeavor. This spacecraft was flown on the fourth mission to carry astronauts to land on the moon and included, for the first time, an all Air Force crew. Interestingly, the space inside the capsule is about the same size as an average minivan. Along the entrance to the Missile & Space Gallery, you will also see Mercury and Gemini spacecraft. Project Mercury was the first American manned spaceflight program. Its goals were to put man into orbit around the earth, find out if he could survive and work in space and then recover the astronaut and spacecraft safely. Project Gemini bridged the gap between Mercury and Apollo. Gemini proved that men could work and live for long periods in orbit and outside their spacecraft. Gemini also explored atmospheric re-entry techniques and pioneered complex orbital rendezvous and docking techniques that are still used today. Other exhibits along the wall show test rockets and spacecraft used to collect data. You can even see the preserved mice, Mildred and Albert, who rode in an Aerobee rocket nose allowing scientists to collect physiological data. Two monkeys, Patricia and Mike, also accompanied the mice on this 123-mile high flight into the upper atmosphere in 1952. Further in the gallery, you can also see HAM the astrochimp’s undergarment and flight jacket. You will be happy to know all of these animals returned from their flights in good health.

• Date Taken: 12.31.1969
• Date Posted: 09.02.2015 13:51
• Category: Newscasts
• Audio ID: 41992
• Filename: 1509/DOD_102704425.mp3
• Length: 00:02:19
• Album: Museum Audio Tour
• Track #: 61
• Location: DAYTON, OH, US