Space cadets

I'm so old... I remember when the moon was the only object that orbited the earth. The first man-made satellites were so amazing and unbelievable that newspapers would list flyover times. We'd stand outside and gawk in awe as a tiny pinpoint of light moved through the night sky.

Before actual space exploration there were wildly imaginative and ofter hilarious interpretations of what the future would hold. This bracelet is one of my favorite recent finds while sorting through mementos of my childhood.  

The small round frame once held a tiny compass.

At first I thought the charms depicted Buck Rogers and friends but something didn't seem quite right.
What was the name of that TV show in the '50's...?
Captain Midnight? No.
Ummmm. Something Corbett?
Tom Corbett, Space Cadet! Yes!

An online search turned up an identical bracelet that sold at auction. Incredibly, it was in pristine condition and was still attached to its original display card that confirmed this is indeed Tom Corbett merchandise.

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My mom found this Marx Mystery Space Ship at a thrift store in the early 1960's. The colorful plastic flying saucer is about 8" wide.

     

 

This toy has an unusual feature. The ship houses a large gyroscope that's activated by turning a crank.
  

I still have a few tiny spacemen and a couple of small rockets. Somewhere.

*Right now there are several Mystery Space Ships available on eBay. Most are receiving bids and are surprisingly reasonable- less than $40.

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In 1962 Telstar, a communication satellite launched by the US, inspired a popular instrumental song. Later that year another version, Magic Star, added lyrics that were really awful. I've been working on this on and off for a couple of weeks and those dumb lyrics have been playing in my mind. ARGH! STOP IT!

This is stored in a tote designed for 45's. Each record has a small number sticker like the "3" shown here that corresponds to its title's position on a master list.

While writing this I had a vague memory of a space book I hadn't seen for decades. On the top shelf of a bookcase, so high up I had to use a step ladder, I found not one but five books. The first four were a series sponsored by General Mills and published in 1957- 58. Willy Ley, the author, was a science writer and space advocate who was a scientific adviser for Tom Corbett, Space Cadet.

 

The fifth, published by Life Magazine in 1964, was written by futurist and science fiction author Arthur C. Clarke, who wrote 2001: A Space Odyssey.

These books contain fascinating predictions for the future based on information available at the time. Despite the fanciful illustrations they're surprisingly accurate.