"OK, pay attention.
The Soviets purportedly put up the first satellite. (Although blurry spy photos now show that it was actually a 3 Qt colander)
Then, around 1957 the Soviets began firing dogs into space.
The US thought, "let's go them one better, and try to
bring one back!? Alive."
So, we bought some monkeys and began shooting them around out in New Mexico.
Those crazy Soviets - didn't just sit on their pasty hands. They began firing men into space.
Famously, Yuri Gagarin, was the first one they got back that could still talk!
Soon thereafter, the Israelis were able to hit the moon with a 26lb Butter Ball turkey! Although - artillery is not really in the same category as controlled space travel.
Then the scramble began out behind some motels in New Mexico - as we filmed moon landings and such.
The rest is pretty much uncontested history, kid.
Look it up - Gramps wouldn't tell you no lie!"
Stig
