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00:24The basic Astrojet idea wasn't invented by Disney designers.
00:28Rides with similar vehicles that whirled around a central pivot were already working in the East Coast amusement parks before Disneyland even opened.
00:36The Disneyland spin on the spinners was to upgrade the theme.
00:39With better detailing, Disney artist John Hinch drew up a concept of a whirling rocket attraction in 1955, dubbing it Saturn Patrol Rocket Ride.
00:50The Astrojets, however, didn't debut until 1956, making this Disneyland's first major addition after opening day.
00:58For the next four decades, some variation of the Astrojet stood in the heart of Tomorrowland, about 50 feet west of today's Innovations building.
01:06From 1956 to 1964, the attraction was known as Astrojets.
01:10A dozen stubby cylinders with thin wings, a headlight on the nose, and open cockpits, barely big enough for two adults.
01:19Named after bright Milky Way stars, the jets were white with either red or blue trim and seemed more like contemporary Air Force aircraft than futuristic Astrocraft.
01:29Indeed, honorary Air Force personnel were on hand when the attraction opened.
01:33The Astrojets opened in March 1956, when the park was just eight months old.
01:38The ride replaced the Court of Flags, a formation of 48 flagpoles flying the flag of every state of the United States.
01:46There were twelve jets with names of Nopas, Vega, Cirrus, Castor, Regulus, Pica, Capella, Arcturus, Rigel, Spica, Hyceron, Altair, and Teres.
01:59The jets made a 50-foot circle and could climb up to 36 feet.
02:03The jets were made by Klaus Company, Bavaria.
02:06Each jet was mounted on an arm extending 20 feet from the axial column.
02:11These are the Astrojets, and they offer a thrilling spin through space.
02:28Once you take off, you're in complete control of your ship, within safe limits, of course.
02:33In Tomorrowland, the theme is progress.
03:01And time marches only toward the future.
03:04But close by is...
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03:24Please remember,
03:26yeaves.
03:27The Astrojets
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