“It was 50 years ago today
Alan Shepard was our first in space
It was just 116 miles
But was guaranteed to raise a smile.So let me introduce to you
The astronaut you’ve known for years:
Alan Shepard, NASA space shot man!”
Well, these songs can’t all be perfect gems. At any rate, Alan Shepard was the first American in space on this day in 1961. His Freedom 7 capsule went 116 miles high in a 15-minute flight, making him the first American in space.
Soviet hero Yuri Gagarin beat him there by three weeks, and John Glenn became the first American to orbit Earth the next year. But Shepard will always have pride of place on the American side.
The US Postal Service is out with the very nice tribute stamp seen above — although it’s just not the same without “44¢” written on it.
Space.com has dished up this handsome infographic, with a bonus shout-out to Ham the Chimp!
See more at Space.com.
Then see our biography of Alan Shepard >>
From the Who2 blog:
| Latest: | Emily Blunt Tries to Remember Her Lines |
| Next: | Jesse James Has a Book, Too! |
| Prev: | The Dogs of War |
| Tags: | AlanShepard, Astronauts, Ham the Chimp, John Glenn, Postage Stamps, Space, Yuri Gagarin |