The Memorial to Miss Baker, the first monkey to survive spaceflight

The Grave of Miss BakerPhoto byU.S. Space & Rocket Center

In 1948, America initiated their mission to send primates into outer space, yet it was not until 1959 that they were able to bring back one alive. Prior to this, the US space program had achieved success with the recovery of fruit flies after a sub-orbital space flight. On the other hand, the Russians had already succeeded in the safe return of dogs from space. Conversely, the American animals sent into space without their permission were sadly perishing, often due to an exploding rocket, upon re-entry, or simply missing from their capsules floating in the ocean.

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In order to outpace other countries in the space race, Miss Baker and a larger rhesus monkey, dubbed "Miss Able", were acquired from a Miami pet shop, along with other test animals. In preparation for the mission, the monkeys were fitted with caps and jackets, and confined in metal monitoring capsules. Electrodes were surgically placed in them as well. On the early morning of May 28, 1959, the pair were sent off in a Jupiter rocket, soaring 300 miles into the sky for a 16 minute flight, with more than half of the trip spent in weightlessness. The rocket eventually landed in the Atlantic Ocean, marking a historic first.

The two monkeys were successfully retrieved from the capsule; however, Miss Able passed away four days after the procedure due to the overuse of anesthesia when they were trying to take out her electrodes. Both of them were featured on the cover of Life magazine and Baker's status increased. Scores of adoring letters were sent to her and she was granted an extravagant life where she was "wed" to two other primates.

Miss Baker awarded Certificate of Merit from American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in recognition of her space flightPhoto byHuntsville.org

In 1971, Miss Baker resided at the Naval Aerospace Medical Center located in Pensacola, Florida. 1962 saw the ceremony in which Pensacola caretakers married her to Big George, who sadly passed away on January 8, 1979. Three months later, a marriage was held for Miss Baker and Norman, officiated by Alabama District Court judge Dan McCoy. Despite this, she declined the traditional white dress, quickly removing her wedding train from her. Miss Baker eventually passed away due to kidney failure in 1984, at the age of 27. This granted her the recognition of being the squirrel monkey with the longest lifespan on record.

Miss Able was interred in a burial site located outside of the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Alabama and was given a marker beside Big George, her first "spouse". This grave is situated close to the entrance of the main building and is easily visible due to the headstone on the right side of the path near a copse of trees. Even to this day, admirers and devotees of the tiny astronaut come to the grave and leave bananas on her headstone. Her flight capsule is now exhibited at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.

A mural by Chandler Hayes was placed on Pratt Avenue in her honor in 2020.Photo byHuntsville.org