Here I am at a NASA mock-up of the International Space Station.

 

Cool buttons, although some of the labels were pretty inaccurate.

 

Eww.

 

Outside the hatch.

 

Close up.

 

[side note: they've found some pretty weird stuff on one of Jupiter's moons, if you haven't already heard...]

 

 

email sent on January 31, 2001 to histinfo@hq.nasa.gov:

Greetings,


I was just wondering if any puppets or "stuffed animals" have gone into space yet. I tried searching the NASA websites, but all I found were references to puppets as earth-bound entertainers and public educators. While this is a valuable contribution, I think sending puppets into space would be a better use of our talents. If none have gone yet, I might be persuaded to volunteer.


Sincerely yours,


Lion

reply:

From: Stephen J. Garber <sgarber@hq.nasa.gov>
To: <lion@darksquirrel.com>
Date: Thursday, February 1, 2001 8:31 AM
Subject: Fwd: space puppets?


Sir/Madam:
I'm not aware of this ever happening. Astronauts are allowed to bring some small personal items into space with them in their "personal preference kits" so you could check with the Astronaut Office at the Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX, 77058 about this. Thanks for your interest.
-Steve Garber

 

Stephen Garber
NASA Headquarters History Office
Code ZH
Washington, DC 20546-0001
202-358-0385
202-358-2866 fax
steve.garber@hq.nasa.gov
NASA History Home Page: http://history.nasa.gov

letter sent February 16, 2001:

Astronaut Office
Johnson Space Center
Houston, TX 77058


To Whom It May Concern:


I am a lion puppet who is interested in outer space. I visited some NASA facilities recently and was very impressed. Some photos of my visit are on the web at www.darksquirrel.com/lion. Since my visit I’ve been trying to find out if any puppets have gone into space yet. Stephen Garber of the NASA Headquarters History Office referred me to you for more information.


Perhaps a puppet or "stuffed animal" has gone into space with an astronaut in one of their "personal preference kits." If so, I would be very interested in hearing about it, as it would represent a great day for our kind. Not as great as, say, a lion puppet astronaut (hint, hint), but at least then we could say we’ve been "out there." Puppets and "stuffed animals" don’t get much coverage on the human-dominated news programs, so maybe we’ve been a part of space exploration and I just haven’t heard about it yet. Regardless, I think we have a lot to offer the space program; I would even consider going myself.


If there have been puppetted-missions already, perhaps you could send be a bio of the puppet (or "stuffed animal") who went, and maybe a photo or two. I would like to get in touch with anyone of my kind who has been to space and interview them for the benefit of the puppet and "stuffed animal" community.


I look forward to hearing from you.


Sincerely,

Lion

 

 

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