The NASA-Inspired Story Behind Whirl-a-Squirrel
A family idea with space-age inspiration
Whirl-a-Squirrel began with O. Glenn Smith, a NASA scientist who loved aviation and figuring out how things work.
According to our family’s account, Glenn and Neil Armstrong became friends through flying. In the 1960s, they traveled between Ohio and Houston, sometimes in one another’s airplanes. Their friendship continued after retirement.
Conversations between them led to an unusual backyard idea: a squirrel feeder inspired by astronaut-training centrifuges.
The squirrel supplies the motion
Put corn on a balanced arm and let a squirrel’s weight turn it. No motor. No electricity. Just a squirrel working out how to reach its next bite.
A central pivot lets the arm rotate, and an adjustable counterweight helps set the balance. Watching a squirrel climb, pause, and try again is part of the fun.
Remembering Glenn
The photographs below come from our family’s collection. They show Glenn’s engineering recognition, his NASA connections, and his friendship with Neil Armstrong.
Glenn passed away in 2020. Whirl-a-Squirrel keeps a small part of his curiosity and sense of fun in motion.
The idea lives on
The Original is about 70 inches tall. The Colossal stands more than seven feet tall, with a nearly 7½-foot spinning wingspan. Both include free shipping and a one-year warranty.
This account reflects Smith family history and family photographs. Whirl-a-Squirrel is independently owned and is not affiliated with or endorsed by NASA or the Armstrong family.
