Our Fur Covered Friends in Space...

I found chapter eight in Packing for Mars to be rather striking. It entails what chimpanzees have done in space, but it also shows the weaknesses of people. Mentally and sometimes physically, humans are superior in relation to animals. As a precaution, chimps were used to test the conditions and later aid in space travel. The problem is that although humans can be superior in these ways, their egos can get in the way. The people involved on the space missions did not like to be associated with their chimp familiars. This sense of over superiority is actually quite shameful. These chimps performed a job, and they were sent for some specific purpose. The fact they are performing this job is enough to demand respect. Other than the poor attitudes of the astronauts, it was shocking what the treatments of the chimps were like after their deaths. The chimp Ham was originally going to be used as a piece of property without a respectful sendoff, but it took many angry people to convince the Air force to give him a “hero’s burial”. Enos was completely ignored, and little is known of his whereabouts today. The author relayed her belief, "For better or for worse, that’s what Ham and Enos were. They played a vital role in the country’s space efforts, but I would not use the term “heroes.” For the simple reason…no bravery… A courageous feat is one undertaken with an understanding of the dangers involved,” (164). Yes, the chimps did not know about what they were doing, but there must be a word for honoring those who have contributed so much. The only word I can think of is hero. Hero has many connotations, and heroes can be people who are placed in situations outside of their volition. For example, a child who doesn't know the risk of helping their parents out of a fire is still labeled a hero. This respect should not be dismissed based on semantics. We need to realize the significance of other beings, especially those other than humans.