Space Scout doll

 

Space Scout Doll, the House of Dolls, Chicago, USA,
1955

As a preliminary to the conquest of space, America did sell the concept of interplanetary travel through the new medias, radio (Buck Rogers and Flash Gordon in the 30ies and 40ies) and TV. In the baby boomer years, lots of space shows tickled the imagination of girls and boys from Alaska to Florida. As this toy shows, space was not only a boys play (even though the tons of rockets and robots and rayguns seem to prove otherwise). Also, even though you had to breathe in a plastic helmet - having fashionable hair was still really important.