05 May - Alan Shepard first American to travel into outer space in 1961

 

On 5 May 1961, Alan Shepard became the first American to travel into outer space, on a sub-orbital flight.

Alan Shepard, was an American astronaut, naval aviator, test pilot, and businessman. In 1961 he became the first American to travel into space, and in 1971 he walked on the Moon.

Alan Shepard piloted the Freedom 7 spacecraft on a suborbital flight, becoming the first American astronaut to travel into space. This historic flight lasted about 15 minutes and reached an altitude of 116 miles (187 kilometers) above the Earth's surface. Shepard's mission was part of NASA's Mercury program and marked a significant milestone in the Space Race between the United States and the Soviet Union.