ham (chimpanzee)

"When the United States was scrambling to catch up to the Soviets after their successful launch of Sputnik, they didn't turn to Mercury Seven astronauts Alan Shepard and John Glenn. Rather, they began bringing chimpanzees to Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico for a top-secret program. The goal? To do everything America needed to make space travel safe for humans and beat the Soviets. Based on extensive research and interviews with living members of the team of veterinarians, handlers, and psychologists who worked with the animals, [this book] offers a fresh perspective on animal intelligence and the rise of the space age. Detailed back matter provides resources, space mission stats, and calls to action for young readers to honor the astrochimps' legacy and advocate for the humane treatment of chimpanzees today" -- Provided by publisher.

The story of a three-year-old chimpanzee named Ham who made history on January 31, 1961 by becoming the first intelligent being to ride an American rocket into suborbital space.

Describes the life of the chimpanzee that was sent into space as part of the American space program, describing his capture, training, the actual flight, and his life afterwards.