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Alan Shepard in Space Suit b
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| Title |
Alan Shepard in Space Suit before Mercury Launch |
| Full Description |
Profile of astronaut Alan Shepard in his silver pressure suit with the helmet visor closed as he prepares for his upcoming Mercury-Redstone 3 (MR-3) launch. On May 5th 1961, Alan B. Shepard Jr. became the first American to fly into space. His Freedom 7 Mercury capsule flew a suborbital trajectory lasting 15 minutes 22 seconds. His spacecraft splashed down in the Atlantic Ocean where he and Freedom 7 were recovered by helicopter and transported to the awaiting aircraft carrier U.S.S. Lake Champlain. |
| Date |
07/28/1961 |
| NASA Center |
Johnson Space Center |
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Shepard Hoisted from Mercury
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| Title |
Shepard Hoisted from Mercury Capsule |
| Full Description |
A U.S. Marine helicopter recovery team hoists astronaut Alan Shepard from his Mercury spacecraft after a successful flight and splashdown in the Atlantic Ocean. On May 5th 1961, Alan B. Shepard Jr. became the first American to fly into space. His Freedom 7 Mercury capsule flew a suborbital trajectory lasting 15 minutes 22 seconds. His spacecraft landed in the Atlantic Ocean where he and his capsule were recovered by helicopter and transported to the awaiting aircraft carrier U.S.S. Lake Champlain. |
| Date |
07/20/1961 |
| NASA Center |
Johnson Space Center |
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Liberty Bell 7
| Title |
Liberty Bell 7 |
| Explanation |
Today, the space capsule Liberty Bell 7 rests [ http://www.discovery.com/exp/libertybell7/libertybell7.html ] about 3 miles below the surface of the Atlantic Ocean. But on July 21, 1961 [ http://www.ksc.nasa.gov/history/mercury/mr-4/mr-4.html ], astronaut Virgil I. "Gus" Grissom [ http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/Apollo204/zorn/grissom.htm ] rode this tiny craft 118 miles above the Earth to become the second American in space [ http://www.nasm.edu/GALLERIES/GAL114/SpaceRace/ ]. Grissom's flight was suborbital [ http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/SP-4201/ch11-8.htm ] - like fellow Mercury astronaut Alan Shepard's [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap980724.html ] first flight - however his capsule was different, with a window, a new manual spacecraft control system, and an explosive hatch. Unfortunately, after Grissom brought Liberty Bell 7 to a successful splash down in the planned area, the hatch blew prematurely and rough seas began to flood the capsule. While Grissom was able to get out, the military recovery helicopter could not lift the waterlogged spacecraft. This dramatic picture [ http://www.ksc.nasa.gov/mirrors/images/images/pao/MR4/10073570.htm ] was taken from the helicopter shortly before Liberty Bell 7 was released and sank. |
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