launched fromUSA

Mercury-Redstone 2

Partial
JAN 31196116:55:00 UTC

This flight carried a chimpanzee named Ham and was intended as the ultimate test prior to sending the first American to space. With a number of malfunctions during the flight, the Mercury-Redstone spacecraft was deemed not ready for a human passenger. However, despite the partial failure of the mission, the chimpanzee passenger returned from space intact and lived many years after.

launched fromLC-5Canaveral

aboardMercury-RedstoneMR-2intoSuborbital

carrying1,203 kgof payload

Payload

Mercury spacecraft #5

Landing & recovery

descendedunderparachuteSuccess