http://www.life.com/images/logo.png http://www.life.com/image/first/in-gallery/23094/alan-shepard-1st-american-in-space http://www.life.com/image/50388454 Six of the seven Mercury Project astronauts (including Alan Shepard, clowning) in February, 1961. President Eisenhower insisted the first Americans in space be test pilots with college degrees. ]]> 50388454 Wed, 01 Feb 1961 03:00:00 EST Six of the seven Mercury Project astronauts (including Alan Shepard, clowning) in February, 1961. President Eisenhower insisted the first Americans in space be test pilots with college degrees. ]]> Ralph Morse. 2009 gettyImages.com http://www.life.com/image/76982224 NASA's Project Mercury astronauts as try on their pressure suits, Florida, 1959. Alan Shepard's the one in the helmet.]]> 76982224 Thu, 01 Jan 1959 03:00:00 EST NASA's Project Mercury astronauts as try on their pressure suits, Florida, 1959. Alan Shepard's the one in the helmet.]]> Ralph Morse 2009 gettyImages.com http://www.life.com/image/50664263 Alan Shepard stands next to a launch platform in 1959. Asked his thoughts on the rocket that would take him to space, he joked, "The fact that every part of this ship was built by the lowest bidder." ]]> 50664263 Tue, 01 Sep 1959 03:00:00 EDT Alan Shepard stands next to a launch platform in 1959. Asked his thoughts on the rocket that would take him to space, he joked, "The fact that every part of this ship was built by the lowest bidder." ]]> Ralph Morse. 2009 gettyImages.com http://www.life.com/image/50571205 Astronaut Alan B. Shepard in the green room. (Photo by Ralph Morse//Time Life Pictures/Getty Images)]]> 50571205 Tue, 01 Sep 1959 03:00:00 EDT Astronaut Alan B. Shepard in the green room. (Photo by Ralph Morse//Time Life Pictures/Getty Images)]]> Ralph Morse. 2009 gettyImages.com http://www.life.com/image/50564936 Alan Shepard takes it easy in 1959. A World War II vet, he became a Navy test pilot and logged more than 8,000 hours flying before joining the space program. ]]> 50564936 Wed, 01 Apr 1959 03:00:00 EST Alan Shepard takes it easy in 1959. A World War II vet, he became a Navy test pilot and logged more than 8,000 hours flying before joining the space program. ]]> Ralph Morse. 2009 gettyImages.com http://www.life.com/image/50571230 Alan Shepard sits with his family in 1960. When asked in 1991 about his wife's reaction to the nascent American space program of the 1950s and 1960s, he said, "I think she knew immediately that I would volunteer for it." ]]> 50571230 Fri, 01 Jan 1960 03:00:00 EST Alan Shepard sits with his family in 1960. When asked in 1991 about his wife's reaction to the nascent American space program of the 1950s and 1960s, he said, "I think she knew immediately that I would volunteer for it." ]]> Ralph Morse. 2009 gettyImages.com http://www.life.com/image/50338480 Alan Shepard dons a space suit in 1959. His words before his first launch, "Please, dear God, don't let me f--- up," is known among aviators as Shepard's Prayer.]]> 50338480 Wed, 01 Apr 1959 03:00:00 EST Alan Shepard dons a space suit in 1959. His words before his first launch, "Please, dear God, don't let me f--- up," is known among aviators as Shepard's Prayer.]]> Ralph Morse. 2009 gettyImages.com http://www.life.com/image/50660727 Shepard checks out his ride before launch, 1961. "I walked out, and looked at that huge rocket for the first time," he said in 1991. "I thought ... I'm going to get up on top and fly that thing!" ]]> 50660727 Sun, 01 Jan 1961 03:00:00 EST Shepard checks out his ride before launch, 1961. "I walked out, and looked at that huge rocket for the first time," he said in 1991. "I thought ... I'm going to get up on top and fly that thing!" ]]> Ralph Morse. 2009 gettyImages.com http://www.life.com/image/71804539 John Glenn gestures to Alan Shepard (in helmet) before launch of Freedom 7, at Cape Canaveral, Florida, 1961. Shepard was about to become the first American in space.]]> 71804539 Fri, 05 May 1961 03:00:00 EDT John Glenn gestures to Alan Shepard (in helmet) before launch of Freedom 7, at Cape Canaveral, Florida, 1961. Shepard was about to become the first American in space.]]> Ralph Morse 2009 gettyImages.com http://www.life.com/image/50551685 Louise Shepard has dinner at home, waiting for news of her husband's space flight. "My wife and I have always tried to explain to the girls ... why I was doing it," Alan Shepard said in 1991. ]]> 50551685 Mon, 01 May 1961 03:00:00 EDT Louise Shepard has dinner at home, waiting for news of her husband's space flight. "My wife and I have always tried to explain to the girls ... why I was doing it," Alan Shepard said in 1991. ]]> Leonard McCombe 2009 gettyImages.com http://www.life.com/image/50551684 Louise Shephard reacts to news of her husband's successful (and safe) space flight. "Boy, what a ride!" Alan Shepard later said of his adventure. ]]> 50551684 Mon, 01 May 1961 03:00:00 EDT Louise Shephard reacts to news of her husband's successful (and safe) space flight. "Boy, what a ride!" Alan Shepard later said of his adventure. ]]> Leonard McCombe 2009 gettyImages.com http://www.life.com/image/50704172 A Navy chopper retrieves Alan Shepard from the sea after his space flight. Shepard said later, ''I knew I had done a pretty good job." ]]> 50704172 Fri, 12 May 1961 03:00:00 EDT A Navy chopper retrieves Alan Shepard from the sea after his space flight. Shepard said later, ''I knew I had done a pretty good job." ]]> Dean Conger 2009 gettyImages.com http://www.life.com/image/3068133 Shepard on board the aircraft carrier Lake Champlain after his splashdown in the Atlantic Ocean. ]]> 3068133 Fri, 05 May 1961 03:00:00 EDT Shepard on board the aircraft carrier Lake Champlain after his splashdown in the Atlantic Ocean. ]]> MPI 2009 gettyImages.com http://www.life.com/image/50551689 Alan Shepard laughs with astronauts Gus Grissom and Deke Slayton after his 1961 space flight. Grissom was the second American in space, but his success was marred by an accident after landing. ]]> 50551689 Mon, 01 May 1961 03:00:00 EDT Alan Shepard laughs with astronauts Gus Grissom and Deke Slayton after his 1961 space flight. Grissom was the second American in space, but his success was marred by an accident after landing. ]]> Paul Schutzer. 2009 gettyImages.com http://www.life.com/image/50551349 Alan Shepard, hailed as a national hero, and his wife meet President Kennedy, Jackie Kennedy, and Vice President Johnson after Shepard's successful space flight.]]> 50551349 Mon, 01 May 1961 03:00:00 EDT Alan Shepard, hailed as a national hero, and his wife meet President Kennedy, Jackie Kennedy, and Vice President Johnson after Shepard's successful space flight.]]> Joseph Scherschel. 2009 gettyImages.com http://www.life.com/image/50551344 President John Kennedy gives Alan Shepard a medal, May, 1961. Shepard's hometown of Derry, N.H., nearly renamed itself Spacetown in his honor. ]]> 50551344 Mon, 01 May 1961 03:00:00 EDT President John Kennedy gives Alan Shepard a medal, May, 1961. Shepard's hometown of Derry, N.H., nearly renamed itself Spacetown in his honor. ]]> Joseph Scherschel. 2009 gettyImages.com http://www.life.com/image/50551350 Caroline Kennedy watches Alan Shepard receive a medal at the White House in 1961. For millions of American children, fantasies of cowboys and Indians gave way to astronauts and space travel. ]]> 50551350 Mon, 01 May 1961 03:00:00 EDT Caroline Kennedy watches Alan Shepard receive a medal at the White House in 1961. For millions of American children, fantasies of cowboys and Indians gave way to astronauts and space travel. ]]> Joseph Scherschel. 2009 gettyImages.com http://www.life.com/image/50363988 A crowd of 250,000 comes out to see and cheer for Shepard after his flight.]]> 50363988 Sun, 01 Jan 1961 03:00:00 EST A crowd of 250,000 comes out to see and cheer for Shepard after his flight.]]> Ralph Morse. 2009 gettyImages.com http://www.life.com/image/50381317 Shepard reads fan mail after returning from space. His career was far from over. In 1971, he would famously hit golf balls on the moon as an Apollo 14 astronaut. ]]> 50381317 Fri, 19 May 1961 03:00:00 EDT Shepard reads fan mail after returning from space. His career was far from over. In 1971, he would famously hit golf balls on the moon as an Apollo 14 astronaut. ]]> Ralph Morse 2009 gettyImages.com