An ape named Ham played a crucial role in advancing human space exploration and successfully returned from the Artemis II mission on April 10 after spending 10 historic days in space.
Before humans embarked on space missions, a chimpanzee named Ham, also known as “No 65,” made history by becoming the first great ape to journey into space on January 31, 1961. Ham was part of the Mercury-Redstone 2 mission under the Project Mercury of the US space program.
Originally identified as “No 65,” Ham was later named after the Holloman Aerospace Medical Center, where he received training for the mission. The name “Ham” also served as an acronym for the center, chosen to avoid potential negative publicity in case the mission ended tragically.
Ham underwent extensive training for 15 months, which included learning to perform simple tasks within specific time frames in response to visual and auditory cues.
During pre-flight preparations, Ham was trained to respond promptly to a flashing blue light by pushing a lever within five seconds. Successful responses earned him a banana pellet while incorrect responses led to a mild electric shock to his feet.
Chimpanzees were chosen for space missions due to their similarities to humans. Observing Ham’s experience in space helped scientists gather valuable insights for human space travel research.
Ham’s suborbital flight lasted 16 minutes and 39 seconds, during which he was supposed to react to visual stimuli. However, a malfunction resulted in higher thrust levels than planned, subjecting Ham to intense g-forces during the flight and re-entry.
The data from Ham’s mission contributed to Alan Shepard’s subsequent suborbital flight on Freedom 7 in May 1961.
Upon returning to Earth, Ham was in good physical condition but showed signs of stress and trauma, displaying anxiety around the capsule and when approached by the press.
A photo of Ham holding a newspaper with the headline “Space Chimp Lives” went viral on Reddit, with users praising the iconic moment.
While Ham’s mission ended successfully, not all animal space trips had happy endings. The story of Laika, a dog sent into space in 1957 and never returning, continues to evoke emotions online.