One small step for man, one giant leap for frog kind
And so it was for one brave frog at the launch of a NASA rocket on Wallops Island.
Obviously tired of playing second fiddle to the just-there-for-the-ride human cargo, one frog decided to hitch a ride into space. Equally obviously, he or she hasn’t really grasped the idea that it’s best to be on the inside of the rocket you’re hitching a ride on. Still, it was a brave effort to get the frogs of the space program the recognition they deserve.
Now I know you’re saying “frogs of the space program?” with some incredulity, but, yes. Frogs have been an important part of man’s venture into outer space, and it’s time to put the record straight on their characteristically green contribution to US space endeavors.
It was back in the 60s when a presidential advisors convinced Kennedy that his famous speech would go down better with the voters if he said ” landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to Earth,” rather than Kennedy’s first choice of a frog. Kennedy did take his frog to the speech as this rare archival image shows, but the corresponding video was edited the CIA.
First Frog on the Moon
Ever vigilant frog on astronauts shoulder
Combined double somersault, back flip and 1080.
And an astronaut jumping three feet.
And it wasn’t just Kennedy that recognized the value of amphibians in space. Arthur C Clarke and Stanley Kubrick were quick to realize that without a frog, their classic 2001 A Space Odyssey wasn’t going to have any credibility at all.
One of the many great scenes that made 2001 A Space Odyssey such a classic.
And construction of the more delicate parts of the International Space Station have only been possible with the aid of frog-kinds ability to hop to it.
Frog ribbit-ing the solar panels onto the International Space Station
So there you have it. the brave frogs of the US Space program.
No doubt frogs will feature again NASA’s future, but sadly not the Wallops Island Hopper.
He’s believed to have croaked.
Cheers!
I can’t stop giggling (I’m sorry, Kermit) and it’s made me speechless.
Yeah, it’s not easy being green 😉
I almost croaked.
I knew someone was going to hop on that one!
Cheers
I’m so traumatized right now…. but kind of hoping someone decides to send all frogs to the moon. The further they are from me, the better. 🙂
Hi Kitt. Not a frog lover, eh? Our neighborhood is full of them. I walk a big dog around the paths and they don’t even move (the frogs that is, that paths never move). My dog takes great delight in nudging them to see the hop!
Cheers!
Spewed coffee when I saw the vigilant frog on astronaut’s shoulder. Thinking about the Pluto cartoon, Lend A Paw, with the winged angel on one shoulder and the pitchfork-weilding devil on the other. So where’s the horny toad?
Sorry bout your coffee, Sherry. Yes, that’s a very dedicated frog. They all are.
As for the horny toad – I can’t comment, this isn’t that sort of blog 😉
Cheers!
You made my day – I needed some froggy frivolity! I’m still giggling (and groaning) over the ribbiting of the solar panels.
I knew you’d get that one, Diane 🙂
Cheers!
Feeling froggy? Make my day frog!