On This Day In History: Alan Shepard First American In Space

Alan Shepard, Freedom 7: May 5, 1961 – Universe Today

48 years ago today, the US launched their first human to space. Alan Shepard flew on Mercury 3, a suborbital mission with a duration of only 15 minutes and 28 seconds. Shepard’s ship, Freedom 7, reached an altitude of 116.5 statute miles (186.4 km) and flew a distance of 303 statute miles (485 km). Enjoy this great video, which includes original footage, as well as Shepard talking about the flight. He also gives the real story about the “request to relieve himself” which was made famous in the movie “The Right Stuff.” Shepard also flew on Apollo 14 (and made the famous golf shot on the moon.) He passed away in 1998.

A most significant anniversary which goes largely unnoticed among most humans, which is unfortunate.  While there are a host of urgent issues here on Earth, the survival and propagation of our species may depend on our ability leave Earth and colonize space, at least according to Stephen Hawking, among others.

“The human race has existed as a separate species for about two million years,” he concluded. “If the human race is to continue for another million years, we will have to boldly go where no one has gone before.”

While Neil Armstrong was the first human to set foot an alien soil, Shepard’s brief, heroic journey beyond Earth’s atmosphere marked the beginning of human space exploration for the U.S. and stands as a remarkable achievement for him and all of the people who made his historic trip possible.  Shepard’s portrait would be appropriate hanging in the offices of the first lunar base, at least, right next to Armstrong’s.

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