THIS DAY IN HISTORY: Launch of Freedom 7 From Cape Canaveral Boosted Spirits On Might 5, 1961

Freedom 7 celebrates 62 Yr Anniversary

ABOVE VIDEO: Tom Jennings talks with Steve Wilson within the newest version of “Sit Down with Steve.” Jennings is the filmmaker for the documentary The Actual Proper Stuff. The documentary chronicles Undertaking Mercury, the Mercury 7 astronauts, and all issues space-related that happened throughout that point. On Might 5, 1961, Alan Shepherd grew to become the primary American to be launched into house. Jennings talks about this milestone accomplishment, the wonderful behind the scenes footage within the documentary, and rather more on this unique interview.

ABOVE VIDEO: The flight of “Freedom 7” boosted spirits all through the nation at a time when the U.S. seemed to be faltering within the quest for a viable house program.

BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – On the morning of Might 5, 1961, astronaut Alan Shepard crawled into the cramped Mercury capsule, “Freedom 7,” at Launch Advanced 5 at Florida’s Cape Canaveral Air Drive Station.

The slender, 82-foot-tall Mercury-Redstone rocket rose from the launch pad at 9:34 a.m. EST, sending Shepard on a remarkably profitable, 15-minute suborbital flight.

However greater than that, it kick-started America’s future as a spacefaring nation.

The flight of “Freedom 7” boosted spirits all through the nation at a time when the U.S. seemed to be faltering within the quest for a viable house program. Simply weeks earlier than, on April 12, 1961, Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin had develop into the primary human in house, orbiting the Earth for 108 minutes within the Vostok 1 spacecraft.

A U.S. Navy check pilot, Shepard was one of many first astronauts chosen by NASA. The “Mercury Seven” astronauts — M. Scott Carpenter, Leroy Gordon Cooper, Shepard, John H. Glenn Jr., Virgil I. “Gus” Grissom Jr., Walter M. “Wally” Schirra Jr., and Donald Ok. “Deke” Slayton — had been launched to the nation in April 1959. NASA saved the identification of the primary astronaut to fly a secret till phrase of Shepard’s command bought out simply days earlier than the launch.

AMAZING VIEW

After ignition, Shepard reached as much as begin the mission clock. The car skilled some vibration a few minute and a half into flight when it pierced the realm of peak aerodynamic stress, however Shepard loved a smoother trip because the Redstone pushed skyward.

As soon as the Mercury spacecraft separated from the rocket, the capsule turned, with its warmth defend going through ahead. In the course of the brief flight, Shepard took within the wonderful view and experimented with the spacecraft’s controls.

“It was an intense countdown. Everyone had their job. There was no joking round,” mentioned former Chief Take a look at Conductor Bob Moser. “However we loved it, and it labored. Congratulations to all of us. We had been an awesome staff.”

The flight was important not solely as a result of it displayed bravery and technological progress, but in addition as a result of it performed out earlier than journalists and the general public. For the primary time, the world was in a position to share within the pressure and pleasure because the historic occasion unfolded on tv in actual time.

“Freedom 7” was solely the start of Shepard’s spaceflight profession. He went on to function chief of the Astronaut Workplace after his first flight.

In 1971, he commanded the Apollo 14 mission, touchdown together with Lunar Module Pilot Edgar Mitchell within the Fra Mauro area initially supposed as Apollo 13’s goal whereas Command Module Pilot Stuart Roosa orbited overhead.