As NASA fought to catch up to the Soviet Union in the space race, they selected a Navy veteran as the first astronaut. But what happened once Alan Shepard stepped into the space capsule?

Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. On May 5, 1961, NASA astronaut Alan Shepard became the first American to go to space. [‘On This Day in Space’ Video Series on ...

In 1961, amidst the tensions of the Space Race, NASA made an unpopular choice: Concerned with booster issues during a January test flight with a chimpanzee, the agency chose to run additional tests ...

Editor’s note: This story was originally published on April 9, 2025. A look back at local, national and world events through Deseret News archives. On April 9, 1959, NASA introduced the “Mercury Seven ...

Eighth graders at Barrington Middle School are lobbying New Hampshire legislators to preserve Alan Shepard’s legacy in a mountainous way. Jeff Durell and the students in his civics class drafted, ...

On April 9, 1959, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) introduced its first group of astronauts to the world. Known as the “Mercury 7,” these seven men were chosen to lead Project ...

Astronaut Alan B. Shepard Jr. became America’s first space traveler. Shepard made a 15-minute suborbital flight aboard Mercury capsule Freedom 7. Gray Media, parent company of WDBJ7, is celebrating ...

IIIF provides researchers rich metadata and media viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. Visit the IIIF page to learn more. Metropolitan Museum of Art, ...