The story of how the first American went to space

As NASA fought to catch up to the Soviet Union in the space race, they selected a Navy veteran as the first astronaut. But ...
Space Coast Daily

National Astronaut Day Commemorates Historic First Space Flight of Alan Shepard on May 5, 1961

A Milestone Anniversary of Discovery! On May 5, 2026, Americans will celebrate the 10th anniversary of National Astronaut Day ...
Daily Breeze

Here’s how many astronauts have gone to space and the moon

The Artemis capsule is expected to splashdown on Friday. Saturday, April 12, 1961 was the date of the first human space flight, carried out by Yuri Gagarin, a Soviet citizen. This historic event ...

OTD In Space - May 15: Last Flight of NASA's Mercury Program

On May 15, 1963, NASA astronaut Gordon Cooper launched on the sixth and final crewed flight of the Mercury Program. This was ...
Space.com

On this day in space! May 15, 1963: Last flight of NASA's Mercury Program

On May 15, 1963, NASA astronaut Gordon Cooper launched on the sixth and final crewed flight of the Mercury Program. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.