<P> Ham ( 1957 -- January 19 , 1983 ) , also known as Ham the Chimp and Ham the Astrochimp , was a chimpanzee and the first hominid launched into space , on January 31 , 1961 , as part of America 's space program . Ham 's name is an acronym for the lab that prepared him for his historic mission -- the Holloman Aerospace Medical Center , located at Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico , southwest of Alamogordo . His name was also in honor of the commander of Holloman Aeromedical Laboratory , Lieutenant Colonel Hamilton `` Ham '' Blackshear . </P>
<P> Ham ( 1957 -- January 19 , 1983 ) , also known as Ham the Chimp and Ham the Astrochimp , was a chimpanzee and the first hominid launched into space , on January 31 , 1961 , as part of America 's space program . Ham 's name is an acronym for the lab that prepared him for his historic mission -- the Holloman Aerospace Medical Center , located at Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico , southwest of Alamogordo . His name was also in honor of the commander of Holloman Aeromedical Laboratory , Lieutenant Colonel Hamilton `` Ham '' Blackshear . </P>
when was the first chimp sent into space
when was the first chimp sent into space
on January 31 , 1961
on January 31 , 1961