NASA to Bomb Monkeys with Gamma Radiation!

AHHH!

I can't believe what I am reading - NASA is going to subject monkeys to radiation! This is unbelievable. NASA plans on doing this to a group of monkeys because they want to study what might happen to humans on long-term space missions - such as trips to Mars.

In the 1950's the space program asked some brave monkeys (and other non-human primates) to participate in the space program because the humans were just to scared.

But now they want to aim high-energy gamma-ray radiation at monkeys. I will not support this unless these monkeys are complete volunteers. Because potentially harming these monkeys (especially against their will) is not right!

*Another potential (even if the monkeys volunteer) - is that we should monitor them because this sounds like the same type of experiments that turned Bruce Banner into the Incredible Hulk!

Could you imagine and Incredible Hulk like Monkey!?! It would be unstoppable (perhaps I should volunteer.. hmmm)

For more on this story: http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/091112-nasa-space-monkeys-radiation.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+spaceheadlines+%28SPACE.com+Headline+Feed%29

- MoJo

Follow-Up: MoJo Phoenix in Space

Well it turns out that I was right!

NASA decided not to name the International Space Station after him. But they didn't name the toilet after him either.

They named a treadmill after him. I guess the people at NASA just couldn't do it.

"Colbert—or C.O.L.B.E.R.T.—the Combined Operational Load Bearing External Resistance Treadmill. That's the new name for this piece of hardware, known during its development as T2, the second version of the ISS treadmill"

The space shuttle carrying the treadmill launched last week and it was installed shortly after.

For more go to the following: Mission Complete! and C.O.L.B.E.R.T

I'm still waiting to see what they name after me!

-MoJo

Thumbs UP! - Space Monkeys!

This is a story I wanted to tell everyone about for a long time, but I honestly never got around to doing it. However there has been a lot of news lately about the Apollo Missions in which a human landed on the moon and returned safely back to earth, and it made me think of those incredibly brave space monkeys who were some of the first animals in space - because you humans were just too scared! The picture above is of Baker, a squirrel monkey, who was also a Space Monkey!

Able and Baker were the first living creatures from the US to go into space and experience weightlessness and come back to earth safely. Two years before humans finally got the courage!

10 years had passed where lots of other monkeys tried being astronauts but died for various reasons. Sadly even Able died a few days later due the effects of anesthesia after surgery.

But Baker lived on for another 25 years as an active member in the monkey space community and mostly spent her time at the U.S Space and Rocket Center in Alabama trying to educate humans on how to handle the final frontier!

She was very popular and received almost 150 letters a day up until her death in 1984 of Kidney failure.

We will not forget you Baker - you were one courageous monkey!

For more Click Here!

Thumbs UP! - NASA and Follow-Up: MoJo Phoenix in Space

Well well well Mr. Colbert. You may have won the International Space Station naming contest but it seems that NASA doesn't agree.

Story: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29863574/

It seems that there is a good chance that they will not use your name! (Maybe they will pick mine!) Either way it looks like they might name a toilet after you! Maybe its because of your latest views on chimps, and NASA is on Team MoJo!

So HA! It looks like your name will be on a toilet. Well at least its a toilet in space - I wonder if they have beans up there??

Follow-Up: MoJo Phoenix in Space

As I reported earlier - there was a contest to get my name on the International Space Station.

But I was too late and Stephen Colbert won: http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/sns-ap-sci-space-station-colbert,0,1912552.story?track=rss


Oh well - Better Luck Next time I guess : (

MoJo Phoenix in space...

I know its a real long shot since I'm getting into the game very late. But It turns out NASA wants some help naming part of the International Space Station so you should vote while you can - although I think "MoJo Phoenix" would be cool! (You can Enter MoJo Phoenix instead of selecting one if you want ; ) )

"NASA wants your opinion in naming the International Space Station’s Node 3 – a connecting module and its cupola – before the two segments travel to space and are installed on the orbiting laboratory. "

Go to: http://www.nasa.gov/externalflash/name_ISS/index.html