Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
On May 5, 1961, astronaut Alan B. Shepard Jr. became the first American to travel into space when his Freedom 7 spacecraft reached 116 miles (187 kilometers) altitude during a 15-minute flight, launched by the Mercury-Redstone 3 vehicle from Cape Canaveral, Florida. Shepard safely splashed down in the Atlantic Ocean, marking the United States' entry into human spaceflight.
This milestone mission was a crucial step that paved the way for the nation’s Moon landings eight years later. Today, NASA continues to build on this 65-year legacy, advancing the Artemis program to return astronauts to the lunar surface and establish a sustained presence there. The anniversary highlights the pioneering efforts of early programs such as Mercury and Gemini that established the foundation for future exploration.
Image credit: NASA