Ham is the first chimpanzee astronaut to return from his legendary 16-hour flight in 1961.

On January 31, 1961, history was made when Ham the chimpanzee became the first ever non-human primate to fly in space. Ham was shot into space from Cape Canaveral, Florida, in a Mercury-Redstone 2 rocket as part of the first U.S. crewed spaceflight program. He spent 16 hours in space before returning to Earth, becoming the first chimpanzee astronaut in the process! Though Ham was just a passenger on the journey, his successful mission was a major milestone in space exploration. Ham was an inspiration to many, showing that animals can be trained and trusted to work on complex technological … Ham is the first chimpanzee astronaut to return from his legendary 16-hour flight in 1961. részletei…

Ham, the First Chimpanzee in Space, 1961.

Ham, the first chimpanzee in space, made history in 1961 when he became the first primate to travel to outer space. On January 31st of that year, the spacecraft Mercury-Redstone 2 launched from Cape Canaveral with Ham aboard in a special compartment. After fifteen minutes and forty-eight seconds of flight, the spacecraft splashed down in the Atlantic Ocean and Ham made history. Despite the success of the mission, Ham was not praised for his bravery or intelligence at the time. He was instead seen as an expendable commodity in the race for space exploration. After the mission, he was taken … Ham, the First Chimpanzee in Space, 1961. részletei…