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X-WR-CALDESC:Events for New Mexico Museum of Space History
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DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260502T180000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260502T210000
DTSTAMP:20260416T091708
CREATED:20260415T194116Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260415T194116Z
UID:23797-1777744800-1777755600@nmspacemuseum.org
SUMMARY:“The CON at COMIC CON” Murder Mystery at the New Mexico Museum of Space History 
DESCRIPTION:Ham the astrochimp after his 1961 suborbital flight. Photo by Ralph Morse LIFE Pictures\n										\n									\n				\n				\n				\n									Alamogordo\, NM — America’s Astro-chimp\, HAM\, and his fellow primate pilots are being remembered for their contributions to the US Space Race during Science Saturday\, on January 31\, 2026\, at the NM Museum of Space History (NMMSH)\, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.\n\nHAM was launched 157 miles into space on January 31\, 1961\, paving the way for American Alan Shepard’s flight on May 5\, 1961\, as well as Yuri Gagarin’s flight one month earlier.\n\nTo commemorate the accomplishment\, NMMSH is partnering with the Alamogordo Chamber of Commerce for HAM Day at the New Horizons Dome Theater & Planetarium. The event celebrates the anniversary of the flight and the role chimpanzees played in preparing the way for humans in space. After a short\, kid-friendly overview of great apes and early space medicine\, museum educators will lead hands-on\, great-ape-themed crafts designed for all ages. Families are welcome to drop in at any time during the event\, and all supplies are included. There will also be “ham and cheese wheels” to eat\, and a homemade costume contest that will be judged by staff.\n\nThe name HAM comes from Holloman Aero Medical\, where he was trained by Alamogordo resident Edward C. Dittmer Sr.\, who also suited up HAM and placed him in the Mercury Capsule perched on a Redstone rocket before the launch. Space scientists believed chimps had the intelligence and reasoning ability needed to test their theories about space travel for humans and whether their psychological abilities to perform in the vacuum of space would deteriorate during the flight. You can see one of the chimps’ space couches at NMMSH.\n\nHAM is buried at the NM Museum of Space History in Alamogordo; his marker reads\, “HAM proved mankind could live and work in space.”\nThe New Mexico Museum of Space History’s Science Saturday is held held on the last Saturday of the month from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in the New Horizons Dome Theater & Planetarium. \nScience Saturday is included with Museum admission. For more information\, call 575-437-2840 or visit www.nmspacemuseum.org. Like us at www.facebook.com/NMSpaceMuseum/.\n\n\n\n\nMore HAM Day 2026 Details:\nWHAT: To commemorate HAM’s launch 157 miles into space on January 31\, 1961\, paving the way for the US Space program. \nWHY: To remember the scientific accomplishment\, NMMSH is partnering with the Alamogordo Chamber of Commerce for an explanation of the role all the Astro-Chimps played in preparing the way for humans in space. \nWHERE: The New Horizons Dome Theater & Planetarium at New Mexico Museum of Space History\, 3198 State Route 2001\, Alamogordo\, NM. Science Saturday is included with Museum admission. For more information\, call 575-437-2840 or visit www.nmspacemuseum.org. \nWHEN: Saturday\, January 31\, 2026\, 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. \nWHO: Everyone’s invited\, after a short\, kid-friendly overview of great apes and early space medicine\, museum educators will lead hands-on\, great-ape-themed crafts designed for students in grades 2–7. Families are welcome to drop in at any time during the event\, and all basic supplies are included. There will also be “ham and cheese wheels” to eat\, and a homemade costume contest that will be judged by staff. \nScience Saturday is included with Museum admission. For more information\, call 575-437-2840 or visit www.nmspacemuseum.org. Like us at www.facebook.com/NMSpaceMuseum/.								\n				\n				\n				\n												\n																					HAM the astrochimp training for his historic flight. Photo courtesy of NASA.
URL:https://nmspacemuseum.org/event/the-con-at-comic-con-murder-mystery/
LOCATION:New Mexico Museum of Space History\, 3198 State Rd. 2001\, Alamogordo\, NM\, 88310\, United States
CATEGORIES:Nighttime Events,Special Events
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://nmspacemuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/FB_Event_CLOC-Murder-Mystery.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="NM Museum of Space History":MAILTO:msh.info@state.nm.us
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