60 Years of Human Spaceflight: Launching The First American into Space

Sixty years ago, on May 5, 1961, NASA astronaut Alan Shepard Jr. launched on the Freedom 7 mission, powered by a Mercury-Redstone rocket to become the first American in space. Shepard's flight lasted 15 minutes, 22 seconds. He later made it to the Moon on Apollo 14.

[dewayneblue]

Not even 10 years later, on Feb. 4, 1971, Alan Shepard set foot on the Moon as the Commander of Apollo 14. Many will remember the impeccable golf swing that he displayed while on the lunar surface, Shepard struck two golf balls, driving the second, as he jokingly put it, "miles and miles and miles".

[anandhanarayanan]

One of the man who ignited the dreams of of humans to space

[Obsolit]

I don't know why I'm crying. This has been my dream since childhood. We are all just a tiny piece of the world.
I'm still curious what it feels to be in space. Seeing the horizon.
The beauty of earth in its entirety. <3

[InfiniteF]

TO THE INFINITY, AND BEYOND!!
amazing achievement as a humanity. We progressed to explore this world.

[sebastiany]

We will always remember those who have contributed to human spaceflight. 100 years later or even 1000 years later, mankind on the Moon, Mars and other planets in the universe will give thanks to our era.

[KimberlyGreen]

I was born in the early years of human spaceflight. Now, seeing commercial launches of human beings, a helicopter on Mars, and more ...
It's a glorious, joyous time to be a witness to the progress! 🚀👩🏻‍🚀

[wenpablo]

Exactly 60 years later, a rocket named New Shepard is ready to launch normal people into space as tourists.

[sandraa]

Would love to see an interview of Alan Shepard how he felt what he saw. Great video.

[hollandamerica]

Alan Shepard is my namesake, my mom named me after him when I was brought to her while the tv was showing him being recovered. Naturally, he was always my main hero, and why I was nicked named space cadet by my brothers.

[casualwoomy]

Going to space is as hard as finding a nasa video with comments enabled

[atomspalter]

I am hyped to bring humanity further than ever before.

[planetsec]

8 years later and we land the first man on the Moon. Now we're about to reach the 52nd anniversary of Apollo 11 with no greater achievement in manned spaceflight since then to show for it

[nootonian]

you know when you're early when the vid was uploaded 15 SEC AGO

[mamamheus]

All astronauts, from every country, are incredibly brave. But IMHO, those who go up first in their country's rockets are the bravest of all. They should all be remembered by everyone everywhere for having equal bravery.
Thanks for this fitting memory of Alan Shepard. It would be of great interest if you could do something similar for the other countries to have sent their own rockets and people.

[garkrol]

Congratulations on this achievement! But please acknowledge that he was the second man to travel into Space. And that was a suborbital flight.
I love NASA and all things Space. But I find it a bit unfair that you barely mentioned Yuri Gagarin's flight on April 12th and made this video look like Alan Shepard (with all my infinite respect to this great Man) was the first man to travel into Space though he was only the first American who does it. Maybe I am naive but I always thought that Space is a frontier for mankind as a whole despite all dirty political games.

[HaleySmith]

You'll never be better than Commander Shepard.

[ATMAtim]

As a child, that was such a wonderful day.

[lawofliberty]

Imagine having to disable comments on MOST videos, seems VERY SUS. signed- a humble Observer

[jimmylee]

It's amazing on how far we gotten over the past 63 years. It's just come to show that we are coming forth to the frontiers of space

[grantturbeville]

This is awesome I’m doing a paper on this in school and this is a great and historical moment in history