What Happened to Ham the Space Chimp? The Pioneering Primate’s Historic Flight and Eventful Life

On January 31, 1961, a chimpanzee named Ham made history by becoming the first hominid launched into space. His suborbital flight on Mercury-Redstone 2 was a crucial step in the American space program, paving the way for human spaceflight. Though Ham lived just 25 years, his contributions to science and aeronautics were immense.

A Chimpanzee Chosen for Space

Ham was captured as an infant in French Cameroon in 1957 After being brought to a rare bird farm in Florida, he was purchased by the U.S. Air Force in 1959 At Holloman Aerospace Medical Center in New Mexico, Ham was one of 40 chimpanzees trained for spaceflight.

Only 3 when selected for Project Mercury, Ham was known as No. 65 before his flight. With his easygoing temperament and top performance on tests, he was ultimately chosen over 5 other finalists for the historic mission.

Rigorous Training for the Dangerous Mission

For 15 months, Ham was conditioned through over 220 hours of training. He learned to press levers within 5 seconds of lights flashing, receiving rewards or mild shocks on his feet depending on performance. Ham was also acclimated to the equipment, vibrations, noises, and g-forces of spaceflight through simulations.

With the pressurized capsule and suit protecting him, Ham was prepared as much as possible for the risky launch. Though no one knew if a living being could even survive space travel at the time, Ham remained poised and cooperative.

Suborbital Flight and Safe Return

When launch day arrived, sensors to monitor Ham’s vital signs were attached to the trained chimp. The MR-2 mission blasted off from Cape Canaveral, reaching an altitude of 157 miles at a velocity of 5,857 mph

Ham performed his lever-pushing duties in space successfully with only slightly slowed reaction times. Though the capsule experienced some issues it splashed down safely in the Atlantic Ocean. The resilient Ham was recovered unharmed aside from mild dehydration and a bruised nose.

Hong After Space: A Chimpanzee Celebrity

Having proven that tasks could be carried out in space, Ham instantly became famous. He was featured in magazine articles and television appearances. After retiring from NASA in 1963, Ham lived at the National Zoo before moving to North Carolina Zoo in 1980.

To the age of 25, Ham remained lively and intrigued by human visitors. He died in 1983 and was buried at the International Space Hall of Fame. Ham’s backup chimp Minnie later had 9 babies, passing away in 1998 as the last surviving astrochimp.

An Enduring Space Legacy

Weighing just 37 pounds, Ham made spaceflight safer for the many astronauts who followed the courageous chimp. Alan Shepard’s seminal 1961 mission likely would not have occurred without Ham’s prior trailblazing trip.

Ham advanced aeronautics research and provided insight on how organisms function in space. Though he never fully realized his fame, this small primate’s brief life had an outsized impact. Sixty years later, Ham’s momentous flight is still recognized as a key milestone in space exploration history.