posted 05-05-2021 10:03 AM               

Sixty years ago, on May 5, 1961, NASA astronaut Alan Shepard Jr. launched on the Freedom 7 mission, powered by a Mercury-Redstone rocket to become the first American in space. Shepard's flight lasted 15 minutes, 28 seconds.

posted 05-05-2021 10:04 AM               

Please join the NASA History Office on Wednesday, May 5, 2021 for two events in celebration of the 60th anniversary of Alan Shepard's Freedom 7 flight!

At 11 a.m. EDT, we will be presenting a panel discussion about the past 60 years of human spaceflight with Bill Barry, Teasel Muir-Harmony, Margaret Weitekamp and Kathy Lueders with recorded remarks from Jeanette Epps.

Then at noon, we will be hosting a Reddit AMA (ask me anything) on r/history with historians from NASA and the Air and Space Museum. We will be answering the public's questions about the history of human spaceflight!

posted 05-05-2026 08:13 PM               

Photos via the American Space Museum:

The White House also recognized today's anniversary (and it being National Astronaut Day) in a presidential message:

In the morning hours of May 5, 1961, Commander Alan Shepard cemented his place in history when he became the first American to journey into the final frontier, propelling the United States into the Space Race and signaling a glorious new era of cosmic discovery. Today, as we celebrate National Astronaut Day, we pay tribute to the generations of brave men and women who have followed in his footsteps and are now carrying our Nation’s beautiful Flag farther into space than ever before.

Commander Shepard’s courage aboard Freedom 7 will forever stand as a testament to American excellence and our relentless pursuit into the unknown. Since that epic flight, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has continued to push the boundaries of human potential...