On November 29, 1961, Enos took his famous flight. The chimpanzee flew into space aboard one of the Mercury Atlas 5 rockets built by San Diegos Convair Division of General Dynamics. The Mercury spacecraft orbited earth twice and later splashed down in the Atlantic, where Enos was recovered.<\/p>\n
The spaceflight was conducted as a practice run for the Mercury launch in February 1962, which would make John Glenn the first American human being to orbit Earth.<\/p>\n
During the flight, engineers at General Dynamics-Astronautics set up an unofficial tracking tracking station on the roof of one of the Astronautics buildings here and monitored the heartbeat and respiration of the globe-circling space ape, and also recorded data on the Mercury capsules position in relation to Earth.<\/p>\n
The day after Enos historic flight, the front page of the Union covered the story. And a reporter from the Evening Tribune sought a tongue-in-cheek reaction from a concerned local source fellow chimpanzees at the San Diego Zoo.<\/p>\n
From The San Diego Union, Thursday Nov. 30, 1961:<\/p>\n
Enos Recovered Safely; Trouble Cuts Flight Short<\/p>\n
CAPE CANAVERAL, Nov. 29 ((UPI) American scientists rocketed a chimpanzee twice around the earth today in a crucial preliminary to manned orbital flight and deftly took him out of orbit to save his life after trouble broke out in the Mercury spacecraft.<\/p>\n
Shortly afterward Astronaut John H. Glenn Jr., a Marine lieutenant colonel, was tagged by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to make Americas first manned orbital trip when scientists are convinced the Mercury-Atlas vehicle is ready. That had been expected in a few weeks. <\/p>\n
From the Evening Tribune, Thursday, Nov. 30, 1961:<\/p>\n
Most chimps at the San Diego Zoo were totally unprepared yesterday for the around-the-world flight of their famed kinsman, Enos<\/p>\n
Cindy and Johnny were at the zoo hospital, nursing colds and indisposed.<\/p>\n
The four big chimpanzees on Ape Mesa sulked in their cages, unaware that Enos was in orbit.<\/p>\n
Zoo Chimps Cagey About Space Ride, report from the front page of the Evening Tribune, Thursday, Nov. 30, 1961.<\/p>\n
(The Evening Tribune)<\/p>\n
Lucy Receives Press<\/p>\n
Lucy, the 4-year-old, was the only member of the zoos chimp colony well enough and happy enough to receive the press.<\/p>\n
She first tried to eat the newspaper that carried headlines about Enos double orbit around the earth yesterday and his safe return.<\/p>\n
Headlines Amaze<\/p>\n
Then when the banner U.S. ORBITS CHIMP TWICE, BRINGS ANIMAL BACK ALIVE was brought into proper perspective, Lucy seemed amazed and impressed.<\/p>\n
Asked for comment, Lucy rolled her lips about, showed her teeth, and said, cheep.<\/p>\n
When told that orbiting Enos cost several million bananas, Lucy just scratched her tummy.<\/p>\n
Dark Eyes Flash<\/p>\n
how would you like to take the next rocket ride, the reporter asked.<\/p>\n
A startled look came into Lucys dark eyes.<\/p>\n
She leaped into her trainers arms and buried her head.<\/p>\n
Then as the reporter turned to go, Lucy looked up, wiggled her lips and struck out her tongue.<\/p>\n
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More here: <\/p>\n
From the Archives: A chimpanzee made space history 60 years ago - The San Diego Union-Tribune<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" On November 29, 1961, Enos took his famous flight. The chimpanzee flew into space aboard one of the Mercury Atlas 5 rockets built by San Diegos Convair Division of General Dynamics. The Mercury spacecraft orbited earth twice and later splashed down in the Atlantic, where Enos was recovered. Continue reading