In 1961, Ham the Astrochimp became the first primate launched into space—158 miles above the Earth. And he wasn’t just a passenger: He was trained to push a lever after seeing a flashing blue light to prove that tasks could be completed in space. He succeeded in his task, spent 16 minutes and 39 seconds in flight, and landed in the Atlantic Ocean, where his capsule was rescued later that day. His only injury was a bruised nose.