Chimps in Space: Ham, Enos Flew Mercury Capsules Before Astronauts Doctors examine Ham the chimpanzee after his Mercury space flight Feb. 1, 1961. Ham's name was an acronym for "Holloman Aero Med," the New Mexico base where he was kept. NASA said scientists used animals before astronauts to see it they could enter space and return to Earth unharmed. Bettmann/CORBIS