Alan Shepard

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Business suit portrait of Al Shepard

Alan Shepard

Alan Shepard was an American astronaut, naval aviator, test pilot, and businessman. He was born on November 18, 1923, in Derry, New Hampshire, and died on July 21, 1998, in Pebble Beach, California. Shepard was the first American to travel into space and the fifth person to walk on the Moon.

Early Life and Education

Alan Bartlett Shepard Jr. was born to Alan B. Shepard Sr. and Pauline Renza Shepard. He attended primary school in Derry and later graduated from Pinkerton Academy in 1940. Shepard then attended the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1944.

Naval Career

After graduating from the Naval Academy, Shepard served on the destroyer USS Cogswell (DD-651) during World War II. He later trained as a naval aviator and became a test pilot at the Naval Air Station Patuxent River in Maryland. Shepard's skills as a pilot earned him a place in the prestigious U.S. Naval Test Pilot School.

NASA Career

In 1959, Shepard was selected as one of the original Mercury Seven astronauts by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). On May 5, 1961, he piloted the Freedom 7 mission, becoming the first American to travel into space. The suborbital flight lasted 15 minutes and reached an altitude of 116 miles.

Shepard was later grounded due to an inner ear disorder, but he underwent surgery in 1969 and was restored to full flight status. He commanded the Apollo 14 mission, which launched on January 31, 1971. During this mission, Shepard became the fifth person to walk on the Moon and famously hit two golf balls on the lunar surface.

Post-NASA Career

After retiring from NASA and the Navy in 1974, Shepard became a successful businessman. He served as the chairman of the board of the Mercury Seven Foundation (now the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation), which provides scholarships to students in science and engineering.

Personal Life

Shepard married Louise Brewer in 1945, and they had three daughters: Laura, Julie, and Alice. He was known for his competitive nature and love of sailing.

Death and Legacy

Alan Shepard passed away on July 21, 1998, due to complications from leukemia. He is remembered as a pioneering astronaut and a key figure in the history of space exploration. His contributions to the United States space program have left a lasting legacy.

See Also

• Mercury-Redstone 3
• Apollo program
• List of Apollo astronauts
• NASA Astronaut Corps