In 1961we humans crossed a new threshold in their age-old saga of exploration. We went into space for the first time. Going into space is a monumental step in our history. We are leaving planet Earth, the cradle in which we and the rest of terrestrial life came to be and evolved. Virgin territory lies ahead -- the vastness of space that stretches across the solar system to the stars and galaxies beyond.

That first step on the Moon, which had the world on the edge of its seat, was just the beginning. We invite you to learn about the rich history of space exploration in our Mad Ham Trivia. During the 1940s, 50s, and 60s, several monkeys and chimpanzees blasted off from the United States, paving the way for the likes of American space explorers!

The most famous space primate of all was Ham, a chimpanzee. He was launched into space on January 31, 1961. In fact, Mercury astronaut Alan Shepard followed Ham into space three months later!

Well, for all his honor and glory, Ham was a little upset. He didn't think anybody knew the history of human spaceflight, much less his role in getting humans into space! So Ham created a game to help make history fun. He drudged up all the important "firsts," from the first satellite in space to the first woman in space.

That's not all! After you've learned the facts, Ham wanted you to be able to test your new knowledge, so he created a quiz. You'll be asked question about the history of human spaceflight (Ham wanted to make sure you were really learning this stuff!). Don't worry, if you answer wrong, Ham will give you a clue to help you figure out the right answer!

We're sure you're going to have fun, and you might just learn a thing or two about our rich history of human space exploration.

All images are courtesy of NASA.