HELP! History of Science Exploration..

[MeetYouAtThehBar]

HELLO!

Im new here, so please be gentle!
I'm an astrophysicist and work in Research. I have been set the challenge to find interesting things about the history of space exploration (Nasa, Esa or the Russians..it doesnt matter)
- like odd astronaut training programs from the sixties or sending up strange animals on rockets in the 50's..

Trying to track all the information down on the Nasa websites or other 'history of...' type websites can take forever! So i thought i'd ask the experts!

If you guys have any interesting stories or facts about the last 7decades (since they started sending chimps etc. up to the stars), then please share and post and tell me all your stories!

Things im mostly interested in are:
-experiments involving animals (and interesting animal anecdotes too!)
-past training regimes for astro-/cosmo-nauts (did they have to do some really bonkers things??)
-did the first batchs of astronauts have any side-effects from being in space?

THANK YOU! I'm looking forward to hearing all your odd facts and stories,
and, of course, i'll meet you at the h bar (physics joke!)

 

[3488]

Welome to SDC.

I have moved this to Space Science & Astronomy as this is not about a particular mission.

We can start with these three. I will look again for you.

Japanese ISS animal experiments

Ten strange things about Space.

Animals in Space 1960's.

Andrew Brown.

 

[MeetYouAtThehBar]

Wow, thank you! these are brilliant!

that japanese astronaut is awesome - it looks so fun!
and i didnt know that being in space makes your heart shrink - very worrying!

please keep them coming! very much appreciated

 

[Testing]

This should twist your tail and has a link to NASA history.

http://www.nasa.gov/centers/dryden/history/index.html

 

[crazyeddie]

How about checking out The Mercury 13 - the Women of the Mercury Era. Not many people seem to know that women also qualified to be among the first American astronauts:

http://www.mercury13.com/

 

[SteveCNC]

one of the funny things I recall from early manned space flight was the quarantine period (can't recall if it was 1 or 2 weeks) they had to stay in a room for quite a while after travelling to space.