On January 31, 1961, the United States Air Force sent a baby chimpanzee, a little over 3 years old, to the space in a 16-minute flight that would test the risk of the journey for the first human astronaut, Alan Shepard Jr., who would later fly out of Earth’s atmosphere.

Ham was born in Cameroon. His parents were murdered by drug traffickers and he was sent to Holloman Air Force Base in the United States, where a group of 17 chimpanzees were prepared to participate in the North American Space Program.

Despite being a baby chimp – in nature he would be in the lap of the mother, Ham surpassed what any human of his age would be able to do.

After traveling through space, his capsule fell into the ocean, where he was rescued. When they opened it, Ham saw the humans and made a gesture – the majority, who did not know chimpanzees, interpreted to be joy, but it was terror due to the experience.

The press tried to reproduce his gesture and the circumstance of his leaving the capsule, but not many men were able to introduce him again to repeat the fact. Ham was terrified.

Save the Chimps Sanctuary was created by Dr. Carole Noon to receive the group of chimpanzees astronauts held by the US Air Force who were no longer needed.

Ham did not have the luck his teammates had. After his feat, he was transferred to zoos, where he ended up dying at the age of 26 and ignored by humans, who used him without ever thanking the sacrifice to which he was subjected.

Save the Chimps recorded this fact on its website on this date and took the opportunity to pay tribute to the First Chimpanzee who was converted into an astronaut and guinea pig for humans who never needed to face the risk of the unknown world he was forced to.

Dr. Pedro A. Ynterian
General Secretary , GAP Project International