At present within the historical past of astronomy, America’s first man in house passes away.
The primary American in house and the oldest astronaut on the time of his Apollo 14 flight, Alan Shepard was additionally the one particular person to play golf on the Moon. Credit score: NASA
- Alan Shepard was a Navy pilot who grew to become one in every of NASA’s first astronauts.
- He was the primary American in house.
- He later commanded the Apollo 14 mission, touchdown on the Moon.
- He famously performed golf on the Moon.
Born in New Hampshire in 1923, Alan Shepard served within the Navy throughout World Warfare II, subsequently coming into flight coaching and graduating from the Navy Check Pilot College in 1951. In 1959, he was chosen for Challenge Mercury as one in every of America’s first seven astronauts, alongside Gil Grissom, Deke Slayton, and John Glenn. On Might 5, 1961, Shepard grew to become the primary American in house; his flight on Freedom 7 lasted quarter-hour and reached 116 miles (188 kilometers) in altitude. Ten years later, he served as commander of Apollo 14, touchdown on Moon as NASA’s oldest astronaut on the time. He additionally grew to become the one man to play golf on the Moon when he smacked a golf ball with a lunar sampling instrument he had modified with a 6-iron head. He retired from NASA and the Navy in 1974 and went on to work within the non-public sector and because the chair of the Mercury 7 basis, passing away on July 21, 1998.
