• Small, metal capsule with two glass screens on the upper half. Two handles can be seen in the lower glass screen.
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    Before Alan Shepard became the first American in space two chimpanzees were launched into space inside this capsule in 1961.

    Astrochimps Ham and Enos helped NASA understand the effects of accelerations and weightlessness. Instead of spacesuits, these chimps were strapped into a retaining harness inside this pressurized capsule.

  • Small, metal capsule with two glass screens on the upper half. Two handles can be seen in the lower glass screen.

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A19680281000cp01

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Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum

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