As NASA fought to catch up to the Soviet Union in the space race, they selected a Navy veteran as the first astronaut. But ...
Astronomy on MSN
May 5, 1961: The first American in space
In 1961, amidst the tensions of the Space Race, NASA made an unpopular choice: Concerned with booster issues during a January ...
Alan Shepherd became the first American in space on May 5, 1961 - it was NASA’s first Mercury mission.
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