On January 31, 1961, Ham the chimpanzee became the first primate to be launched into space. His sub-orbital flight took place aboard a Mercury Redstone rocket that was being used as part of America’s space program at the time.
Later that year, the soft-serve ice cream chain, Dairy Queen, celebrated the milestone with the release of the Mr. Astro-Chimp doll. The chimp stood 22-inches tall and was able to hang by one hand. While other chimps were selling for $6.98 at the time, Astro-Chimp sold for $2.99 and was touted by the company as still having “quality plush.”
