Ham: The Astrochimp

In the heat of the Cold War space race, NASA prepares to send the first American living being into space—not a man, but a young chimpanzee named Ham.

January 31st, 1961. As America holds its breath, a Mercury rocket stands ready on the launch pad. Inside its capsule sits Ham, a four-year-old chimpanzee, about to be sent into space in conditions no living being has ever survived. Through the voice of Jeff, a young U.S. Air Force private, the film recounts the hidden story behind this historic moment. Four years earlier, Ham was born free in the forests of Central Africa, until his world was shattered by hunters supplying animals for scientific research. Transported to the United States as part of Project Mercury, Ham arrives traumatized, weak, and withdrawn. Assigned to Jeff—a farm boy with no scientific training—the chimp is dismissed as unpromising, while other candidates are groomed as future “chimponauts.” As NASA races to catch up with Soviet space achievements, the chimps are subjected to brutal tests designed to measure endurance, obedience, and cognitive performance under extreme stress. Initially unable to cope, Ham begins to fade—until Jeff breaks protocol, choosing patience, trust, and empathy over control. Slowly, an unexpected bond forms. Ham recovers, learns, and eventually excels, becoming one of the top candidates despite the growing danger. With every success, the stakes rise. Jeff realizes that Ham’s progress brings him closer not to glory, but to possible death. When Ham is finally selected for the mission, Jeff must confront the moral cost of human ambition. The launch itself unfolds as a suspenseful ordeal marked by technical failures, loss of communication, and a desperate rescue at sea.