Astronaut Space Rover

Starlog's Guide to SF Toys & Models

MMM Space Rover - What is it?

When we MMM collectors first started aggregating in the late 90's, there was quite a bit of speculation regarding the "Space Rover" photo from the Starlog's Guide to SF Toys & Models paperback (the name was used in the book). It was difficult to tell from the photo but it appeared to be a silver vehicle with a large red "mechanized flywheel" that would somehow pull it across string suspended from two points. Studying the photos you can see that it was very similar to the body of an Astro Trac, missing the wheels and front steerable suspension. The image had also been used as the cover of the Toy Fair Edition of the 1967 Mattel Retailer's Catalog with an additional photo.

A few years went by and I heard that an advanced collector near Birmingham Alabama had what he claimed was a store display used at Toy Fair that included a Space Rover. I talked Joe DeMarco once on the phone but by that time he was in somewhat poor health and wasn't very forthcoming about his collection, other than it was extensive with  many old-store-stock pieces. At the time he wasn't willing to sell anything - I learned later that his goal was to open a vintage toy store near his home so he was basically saving everything to make a big splash on opening day.

In the meanwhile, MMM collector Frank May used reference photos to modify an Astro Trac so it closely resembles what had thus far surfaced. Frank also made one for me, which I'm very happy and proud to own.

When the hunt for MMM Patents was in process Pat LeBlanc, Graeme Walker and Paul Vreede found the Space Rover as two patents - really remarkable how close Frank's design mirrored the original, based on the drawings.

Patents:

OUTER SPACE VEHICLE TOY (Space Rover)

D210,085 Feb 6, 1968, Filed Jan 19, 1967

J. W. Ryan and Gerald W. Schmidt

"The ornamental design for a outer space vehicle toy, as shown."

Found by Pat LeBlanc after Graeme Walker

John's Notes

This is that crazy prototype that appeared in the Star Log Guide to SF Toys and on the back cover of the 1967 Mattel Toy Fair Catalog (for retailers). This eventually made it into production as the Astro Trac. See "String Monorail" below for the detailed Technical Explanation - Amazing!

STRING MONORAIL (Space Rover)

3,439,448 April 22, 1969, Filed Feb 8, 1967

"A three-wheeled toy vehicle may be driven over a suitable surface by an electric motor having output shafts engaging the outer periphery of the rear wheels while the vehicle is steered by a child-user manipulating a string attached to the single front wheel. Alternatively, the vehicle may be driven on an elevated string forming a rail engageable by a pulley on the vehicle. The pulley is driven through a gear train including a pinion gear affixed to one of the output shafts. Upon elevation of the vehicle the rear wheels drop out of driving engagement with the output shafts."

 J. W. Ryan and Albert R. Baginski

Found by Paul Vreede

Around this time I acquired a lot of original Mattel prototype toys and included was an unusual vehicle labeled "Snow Cat" - at first blush it appeared to be a modified Astro Trac, but on closer examination you can tell that it's a Space Rover that's been cut and repurposed as a ground vehicle. I believe that this is what spawned the idea of the Astro Trac

A few years went by and I heard that Joe DeMarco had died, and that his sister Evelyn was selling pieces from Joe's collection (seems he had one or more storage units full of vintage toys and she was slowly taking offers from various collectors. I ended up buying several items from her including an MMM 3-Ring Binder). Seems there was some dispute from the rest of the DeMarco family with the contents of remaining toys being dumped in a local auction. I ended up purchasing Joe's Major Matt Mason Demonstration Unit indirectly. About a year later a Space Rover appeared with the seller taking bids.

It's pretty evident that this is an original Space Rover, and that it's probably the same one once owned by Joe DeMarco. I'm not sure who currently possesses it or the amount that was paid for it. It's unlikely that the actual toy ever was packaged and test marketed but hopefully another example will surface.

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