HAM the chimp sits in the cradle-like seat used during his flight. His arms are crossed and he is looking at someone to the left of the camera. HAM is wearing a white shirt and is clearly a very good little space man.

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1. Robert McNees (mcnees@mastodon.social)'s status on Tuesday, 31-Jan-2023 16:14:46 UTC Robert McNees

   HAM the chimpanzee became the first hominid in space #OTD in 1961, launched on a sub-orbital flight aboard a Mercury-Redstone 2.

   His name was an acronym for Holloman Aerospace Medical Center and a nod to its commanding officer Lt Col Hamilton Blackshear.

   HAM the space chimp did great on his mission. His short sub-orbital voyage paved the way for Alan Shepard’s flight aboard Freedom 7 about three months later.

   Image: NASA (Photo AA-984)