Ham the chimp made history as the first ape to journey into space. On January 31, 1961, Ham's capsule launched from Cape Canaveral after hours of waiting on the launch pad. We pay tribute to Ham, who bravely undertook a challenging mission and was forced to complete a daunting task. In honoring Ham, we also remember all the young chimps who were pioneers in space exploration. Thanks to our supporters, Save the Chimps provides a dignified and peaceful retirement for survivors and descendants from

Before they sent humans into space, NASA sent a three-year-old chimp named Ham, to prove that a primate could survive the trip. Meet more pioneers of the Space Race tonight at 8 on the series premiere of Apollo's Moon Shot. http://bit.ly/2XulJ5W | Smithsonian Channel