WEBVTT YOU ARE WATCHING KOAT ACTION NEWS SEVEN. SHELLY: A LOT OF YOU MIGHT HAVE WATCHED THE SHOW "ASTRONAUT WIVES" TONIGHT BUT WHAT YOU MAY NOT KNOW IS THE IMPORTANT ROLE NEW MEXICO PLAYED IN EXPLORING THE FINAL FRONTIER. AND WE'RE NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT ROCKETS AND ASTRONAUTS. THE FIRST CHIMPANZEE IN SPACE IS BURIED HERE. TONIGHT ACTION 7 NEWS REPORTER LAURA THOREN TAKES US TO SPACE WITHOUT EVEN LEAVING THE LAND OF ENCHANTMENT. LAURA: WHEN AMERICANS THINK ABOUT SPACE EXPLORATION, CAPE CANAVERAL OR HOUSTON USUALLY COME TO MIND. BUT IT ALL STARTED RIGHT HERE IN NEW MEXICO. WHERE AT HOLLOMAN AIR FORCE BASE OUTSIDE ALAMOGORDO, DR. JOHN PAUL STAPP IN 1954 RODE THIS ROCKET-POWERED SLED 632 MILES AN HOUR, MAKING HIM THE FASTEST MAN ALIVE AND PROPELLING US INTO THE SPACE AGE. HIS SLED, AND SOME OF THE FIRST ROCKETS LAUNCHED INTO SPACE, ARE ALL ON EXHIBIT HERE AT THE MUSEUM OF SPACE HISTORY IN ALAMOGORDO. YOU CAN GET UP CLOSE TO ALL THE TECHNOLOGY OUR STATE'S SCIENTISTS AND RESEARCHERS CREATED IN ORDER TO LAUNCH ASTRONAUTS INTO THE GREAT BEYOND. THOSE RESEARCHERS WERE NOT ALL HUMAN. HAM, THE FIRST CHIMPANZEE SENT INTO SPACE, WAS TRAINED HERE, AND IS BURIED OUTSIDE THE ENTRANCE. HAM WAS ACTUALLY NAMED USING AN ACRONYM, NAMED AFTER HOLLOMAN AEROSPACE MEDICAL WHERE HE WAS TRAINED. LAURA: HAM WAS JUST 6-YEARS-OLD WHEN HE WORE THIS WHITE AND GREY SPACE SUIT. WAS STRAPPED INTO A METAL CAPSULE LIKE THIS ONE, AND LAUNCHED FOR A 15 MINUTE FLIGHT. HAM REALLY WAS A FAVORITE AMONGST THE TRAINERS. HE WAS A LOT MELLOWER THAN A LOT OF THE OTHER CHIMPANZEES, IN THE STUDY, SO HE WAS ONE OF THE ONES THEY FOUND VERY EASY TO WORK WITH. LAURA: HEAD UP A FEW FLOORS IN THE MUSEUM'S SPACE-THEMED ELEVATOR AND YOU CAN TRAVEL BACK TO 1961, THE YEAR HAM SOARED ABOVE EARTH. MUSEUM VISITORS CAN EVEN GET A CHANCE TO FEEL WHAT IT WOULD'VE BEEN LIKE TO HAVE WATCHED HAM THE CHIMP LIFT OFF ON THE MERCURY REDSTONE WITH THE ROCKET RUMBLER. MUSEUM DIRECTOR CHRIS ORWOLL TELLS ME HE DOES NOT THINK NEW MEXICO GETS THE CREDIT IT'S DUE WHEN IT COMES TO OUR ROLE IN SPACE HISTORY. FIRST PICTURE OF SPACE, WHITE SANDS MISSILE RANGE, FIRST ANIMAL LAUNCHED INTO SPACE, WHITE SANDS MISSILE RANGE. THE APOLLO ASTRONAUTS TRAINED HERE. APOLLO ENGINES TESTED HERE. LAURA: HE'S HOPING NOW THAT VIRGIN GALACTIC'S SPACEPORT AMERICA IS BUILT, AND COMMERCIAL SPACEFLIGHT IS ON THE HORIZON, NEW MEXICO WILL NOT ONLY HAVE A LEADING ROLE IN THE HISTORY, BUT THE FUTURE OF SPACE EXPLORATION.