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Credit & Copyright: Project Mercury,
NASA
Explanation:
On another Friday (May 5, 1961),
at the dawn of the space age,
NASA controllers "lit the candle" and sent
Alan B. Shepard Jr. arcing into space atop
a Redstone rocket.
The picture shows the pressure-suited Shepard before the launch
in his
cramped space capsule dubbed
"Freedom 7" .
This
historic flight - the first spaceflight by an American -
made Shepard
a national hero.
Born in East Derry, New Hampshire on November 18, 1923,
Shepard graduated from the United States Naval Academy
in 1944 and went on to train and serve as a Naval Aviator.
Chosen as one of the original seven
Mercury Program astronauts,
he considered
this first flight the greatest
challenge and actively sought the assignment.
Shepard's accomplishments in his career as an astronaut
spanned a remarkable
period in human achievement and in 1972
he walked on the moon as commander of the Apollo 14 mission.
A true pioneer and intrepid explorer,
Alan Shepard died Tuesday at age 74
after a lengthy illness.
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NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: astronaut - Alan B. Shepard
Publications with words: astronaut - Alan B. Shepard
See also: