The U.S. space program used numerous apes and other animals as test subjects prior to sending human test pilots into space. Some of the animals were used to validate models of forces experienced during liftoff and reentry; others were used to test new capsule designs before risking human test pilots. Most of them survived their space flights, but Gordo the squirrel monkey did not: his parachute failed to open on reentry and the capsule was never found. Most of these animals were launched either from here at LC-26 or from LC-5/6 nearby.
Copyright 2011, Garrett Wollman. All rights reserved. Photograph taken 2011-02-26.