On January 31, 1961, a chimpanzee named Ham became the first great ape to travel to space. His mission was crucial in proving that living beings could survive and function in microgravity.

Credit: Wikimedia Commons Ham’s story began in the forests of French Cameroon in the late 1950s. As a baby, trappers captured him and shipped him to the Miami Rare Bird Farm in Florida. The U.S ...

On January 31, 1961, a chimpanzee by the name of Ham blasted off on a Mercury-Redstone rocket and became the first hominid to go to space. Ham reached an altitude of 157 miles during a 16 and a ...

When handlers later brought him near the “couch” he sat in for his 16.5 minutes in space, he recoiled from it. In 1983, Ham died from liver failure at a North Carolina zoo at around 26 years old.

Subject 65, affectionately called Ham by his handler, was the first chimpanzee in space, launched into orbit on January 31, 1961. While the first seven human astronauts in Project Mercury were ...

Ham the chimp launched into space before he spent some of his retirement years in North Carolina. NASA A pioneering chimpanzee went into space for NASA — then retired to North Carolina 44 years ago.

Ham the chimp launched into space before he spent some of his retirement years in North Carolina. NASA A pioneering chimpanzee went into space for NASA — then retired to North Carolina 44 years ago.

Before any human dared orbit the stars, a young chimpanzee named Ham took the leap. His journey from the jungles of Cameroon to a NASA launchpad involved confusion, bananas, and a brush with ...

Ham the chimp launched into space before he spent some of his retirement years in North Carolina. NASA A pioneering chimpanzee went into space for NASA — then retired to North Carolina 44 years ago.

Ham the chimp launched into space before he spent some of his retirement years in North Carolina. NASA A pioneering chimpanzee went into space for NASA — then retired to North Carolina 44 years ago.

Ham the chimp launched into space before he spent some of his retirement years in North Carolina. NASA A pioneering chimpanzee went into space for NASA — then retired to North Carolina 44 years ago.

Ham the chimp launched into space before he spent some of his retirement years in North Carolina. NASA A pioneering chimpanzee went into space for NASA — then retired to North Carolina 44 years ago.