This Day In History - First American In Space 1961

First American In Space 1961

Tuesday, May 5, 2020

All Day

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Event Description

From Cape Canaveral, Florida, Navy Commander Alan Bartlett Shepard Jr. is launched into space aboard the Freedom 7 space capsule, becoming the first American astronaut to travel into space. The suborbital flight, which lasted 15 minutes and reached a height of 116 miles into the atmosphere, was a major triumph for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

Event Location

Cape Canaveral, Florida