Eyewitness Space Exploration

Eyewitness Space Exploration Cover

Eyewitness Books was a series of hardcover educational nonfiction books. They were first published in Great Britain by Dorling Kindersley in 1988. The series now has over 160 titles on a variety of subjects, such as dinosaurs and this edition on Space Exploration first published in 1997 and has gone through several revisions - my copy was published in 2010. What made the series interesting is that with its frequency it was more like a hardcover periodical/magazine, each included a CD of clip-art related to the book's contents. Eyewitness Space Exploration has an image of Sgt. Storm on page 24.

Eyewitness Space Exploration Page 24

Astronaut fashion

A SPACESUIT IS LIKE a protective, portable tent that an astronaut wears to shield him in space. The first suits were designed for astronauts who were simply flying through space without leaving their craft. The suit they were launched in stayed on during eating, sleeping, going to the bathroom, and the return journey. Next came the suit for space itself. This provided the astronaut with a life-support system and protection against temperature extremes and space dust. Before going outside, the suit is pressurized to guard against the near vacuum of space. Today's astronauts wear suits for launch, work outside, and return. Inside, they wear casual, normal clothes.

[Sgt. Storm image here]

MOBILE MAN

The first spacesuits were based on high-altitude pressure suits worn in jet aircraft. Astronauts wearing them had to be able to bend their arms and legs. The Apollo suits for the Moon had bellowlike molded rubber joints. The design has been simplified in this toy from 1966.

CHANGING FASHION

A spacesuit's main job is to protect an astronaut. But it must also allow him to move around easily. These two basic requirements have not changed since the first astronaut flew. Yet, as the suits here show, spacesuit design has changed. New materials and techniques and practical experience combine to produce a comfortable and efficient suit for today's working astronaut. A suit is no longer tailor-made for one person but off-the-rack, and can be reused by another astronaut.

John's Take

I like that a Sgt. Storm figure image was inserted into the book, but don't like that neither Mattel nor Major Matt Mason was credited. Also, there isn't much explanation for the toy other than "bellowlike molded rubber joints" and "toy from 1966." (sic)

All Mattel images and captions are copyright Mattel and used without permission. All other content, including images and editorial, is Copyright © 1997-2024 John Eaton and/or contributors unless otherwise stated. If there are any comments or objections, please contact John Eaton.