Astrochimp

Ham the astrochimp is the first earthly creature to do intelligent tasks in space. He and the other astrochimps prepared for this accomplishment at machines like the one at right where they learned to push levers correctly in response to flashing lights.

The real hero of the early American space programme was Ham the "astrochimp", who went up before any of the first American Mercury astronauts (India plans £1.7bn manned space mission by 2015, 24 February; Letters, passim).