Xray Delta 1, transmitting a tale of space

A Tale of Space by J.B. Pravda

Torn between the greater good of peace, at last, between peoples of
differing cultural mores and traditions on the one hand and his selfish
concerns about posing as the chained primate in Grigori's elaborately
feigned appearance of insanity as his ticket home, Astronaut Simpson
agreed to play Jocko the surly monkey in the upcoming television
transmission back to Star City, Russia from the confines of an
admittedly long past prime Mir, hoping earnestly that when his time
came to return his prehensile tail would fit into his spacesuit.