Mirro Satellite Explorer Helmet

Calling all stars! Real out-of-this-world headgear, for spacemenr (and space-women!). Make believe natenna and earphones. One-way-vision shield (you see out, no one sees in). Of shining, satrdust-resistent aluminum!

This is one of my favorite vintage toys, so reminiscent of the Wernher von Braun-inspired helmets popularized in magazine illustrations and books in the early Fifties, it's the Mirro space helmet.

Made by the Manitowoc, Wisconsin firm, the Aluminum Goods Manufacturing Co., the Satellite Explorer Aluminum Helmet By Mirro can be dated back by an advertisement in a parent's magazine for November 1956.

through a blurb describing it's preview at an American toy fair, in early 1957 describes the helmet is topped with a realistic spring communication antenna and a cosmic ray face plate (both of which are usually absent from surviving pieces) which allows the wearer to see out but no outsiders can see in.

Link to forums

Some illustrations later on show an extension to the spring antenna with a flat shape, perhaps a propellor, fixed on top.

My helmet is a typical survivor. The face plate was replaced by clear plastic, the "original antenna" as described by the seller was just a piece of twisted coat hanger pretending to be, and the top of the dome was dented. Unfortunately it's difficult to find these soft aluminum helmets completely dent free, even otherwise pristine examples. But it was at a low price, and it cleaned up well for a display.

Three Space Helmets

Here the are: the General Mills premium for Captain Video, the Arant Plastics bubble and the Banner Plastics helmet with Radar Goggles.

I wonder what General Mills is doing for a cereal premium nowadays?

The Rocket Man - 1954

"I am Ready Oh Captain Vide-O!"

The Honeymooners
Episode 1
"TV or Not TV"
aired October 1, 1955


"I, Ed Norton, Ranger third class in the Captain Video Space Academy, do solemnly pledge to obey my mommy and daddy, be kind to dumb animals and old ladies in and out of space, not to tease my little brothers and sisters, and to brush my teeth twice a day and drink milk after every meal."



"Official space helmet off, Captain Video... Wherever you are!"

The Arant 'Egg' Helmet

Vintage photo of space boy drawing a bead on a few ne'er-do-well space aliens while keeping his head comfortably pressurized thanks to the egg-helmet


Vintage photo of a grown-up space girl wearing the Arant Plastics egg-helmet. Notice the stares of the crowds behind her, wishing they too owned rhier very own Egg.

The designation of this model on the box simply reads "Space Helmet"... but for my purposes I like to refer to it as the Arant "Egg" helmet.

I've seen these pictured in quite a number of vintage photos, manufactured by Arant Plastics of Patterson, New Jersey. It may not have been as popular as other brands, but it is a marvelous example of toy space helmet technology.

Unlike the Space Patrol bubble helmet, this model completely covers the wearer's face, with just a few air slots over the mouth. It seems to be designed for both younger and older space people alike, a one-size-fits-all invention, thanks to it's revolutionary egg shape.

Also ahead of it's time is the intellegent use of wind-power through the pinwheel tipped-antennea. Or maybe its there to provide lift? Or maybe just to cool-off the wearer during those trips to Venus or Mercury? We may never know...

By the way, either some models of this helmet seem to feature just the simple spring antennea with no props, or the pinwheel was removed by the consumer.

Space Kids

Taken from the series of photographs featured in the earlier post, The Day Ricky Won a Rocket taken by LIFE photographers in 1954.

Space Patrol Outer Space Helmet

Scene from the movie "The Rocket Man" featuring a Space Patrol Outer Space Helmet

The most classic space helmet of them all, the full clear plastic bubble. The Space Patrol Outer Space Helmet, came with an inflatable oxygen tank and hoses. They didn't come any closer to recreating the real deal than this one! The perfect example following was offered on auction two years ago, complete with the box and instruction sheet.








These helmets are seen in toy catalogs dating at least back to 1953. There's also reports that the vinyl part may have also been offered in other colors besides blue. When considering a purchase, check whether the clear plastic has become discolored and if the vinyl has become stiff and brittle. Often this part may be missing all together.

Below I have another near-pristine example of this fantastic helmet, seen up for auction on eBay.com. Unfortunately for me, and very lucky for someone else, this one was offered (and immediately sold) through a "Buy Now" option. The Space Patrol helmet is still supposed to be quite common. But for many years this holy-grail of toy space helmets has persistently eluded your friendly neighborhood Space Commander over and over.

Oh well, nobody claimed that being a collector of things vintage and spacey was ever for the faint hearted ;)