New Mexico Museum of Space History Governor’s Commission Meeting
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Ham the astrochimp after his 1961 suborbital flight. Photo by Ralph Morse LIFE Pictures

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.

HAM 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.

To 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.

The 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.

HAM is buried at the NM Museum of Space History in Alamogordo; his marker reads, “HAM proved mankind could live and work in space.”
The 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.
Science 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/.

More HAM Day 2026 Details:
WHAT: To commemorate HAM’s launch 157 miles into space on January 31, 1961, paving the way for the US Space program.
WHY: 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.
WHERE: 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.
WHEN: Saturday, January 31, 2026, 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
WHO: 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.
Science 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/.

HAM the astrochimp training for his historic flight. Photo courtesy of NASA.

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