Space Monkey: Able, Baker, and the Race to the Stars episode artwork

EPISODE · Feb 23, 2026 · 4 MIN

Space Monkey: Able, Baker, and the Race to the Stars

from History Ignited · host History Ignited

In this episode of History Ignited, we take a giant leap for primate-kind as we explore the incredible story of the "Space Monkeys." Before Yuri Gagarin or John Glenn ever left the atmosphere, a brave group of rhesus macaques and squirrel monkeys like Able and Baker were the true pioneers of the cosmos. We’ll dive into the high-stakes missions of the late 1950s, the scientific breakthroughs that proved life could survive the rigors of spaceflight, and the complex ethical legacy these furry astronauts left behind.From the screeching nose cones of Jupiter rockets to their hero's welcome back on Earth, discover how these small passengers paved the way for humanity's greatest adventure.Send us Fan Mail𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗛𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗜𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱! 🎙️We break down history’s most fascinating moments, making complex topics fun and easy to explore. Don’t forget to comment with your ideas — we might feature them in our next episode! 🎉𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘂𝘀:  • Website: historyignited.com• Instagram: @HistoryIgnitedPodcast• Facebook: History Ignited Podcast• Apple Podcasts: Subscribe here• YouTube: History Ignited Channel🔔 Subscribe and click the bell for more exciting episodes!𝗗𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀 𝘂𝗽𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝗽𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗱𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗕𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗝𝗼𝗲𝗹’𝘀 “𝗪𝗲 𝗗𝗶𝗱𝗻’𝘁 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝗲” 𝗮𝘀 𝘄𝗲 𝘂𝗻𝗿𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗰 𝗺𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗵𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆! See you next time!

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Space Monkey: Able, Baker, and the Race to the Stars

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This episode is 4 minutes long.

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This episode was published on February 23, 2026.

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In this episode of History Ignited, we take a giant leap for primate-kind as we explore the incredible story of the "Space Monkeys." Before Yuri Gagarin or John Glenn ever left the atmosphere, a brave group of rhesus macaques and squirrel monkeys...

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