The Astrochimps: America’s First Astronauts

As the United States sought to catch up with the Soviet Union after Sputnik’s launch, its space program studied chimpanzees rather than relying on Mercury Seven astronauts such as Alan Shepard and John Glenn. The book explains how observing chimpanzees during space travel helped establish the basis for later NASA missions carrying human astronauts. A glossary defines spaceflight terms, and detailed resources provide further material.