National Geographic UK - July 2019

LEFT

Project Mercury, which

rocketed U.S. astro-

nauts to space six

times from 1961 to 1963,

inspired many objects

that celebrated the

historic achievement.

This metal lunch box

shows an accurate cut-

away view of the cone-

shaped, single-seat

Mercury capsule.

PRIVATE COLLECTION OF SUSAN N.

FREEMAN

RIGHT

In Russia cosmonauts

are often depicted

on memorabilia. This

poster, headlined

“World’s First,” heralds

the 20th anniversary of

Valentina Tereshkova’s

solo flight in 1963, when

the 26-year-old former

textile worker and sky-

diver became the first

woman in space.

DAVID POLLACK, GETTY IMAGES

ABOVE

Billed as “the first space

age–inspired car,”

the Firebird III, built

by General Motors,

was powered by a gas

turbine engine and

sported seven fins.

The 1958 concept car

had a computer, elec-

tronic controls, and a

joystick to accelerate,

brake, and steer.

GENERAL MOTORS HERITAGE CENTER

LEFT

The January 10, 1967,

issue of Look maga-

zine featured this Nor-

man Rockwell painting

of how it might look

when Neil Armstrong

set foot on the moon.

Rockwell, a stickler for

accuracy, consulted

experts and collabo-

rated with a space art-

ist to create this vision.

© 1967 ARTWORK COURTESY

THE NORMAN ROCKWELL FAMILY

AGENCY/SMITHSONIAN’S NATIONAL

AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM