Extensively researched, First in Space is based on the true-lifeadventures of Ham, a chimpanzee the Americans trained for the first sub orbitalflight. The story follows his training and experiences through the launch, aswell as those of the other chimps and trainers involved. Because it is Ham'sexciting adventure, it is told primarily through his eyes, along with anecdotalinformation that provides a snapshot of that time in America's conquest ofspace.