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Shepard, Alan Bartlett, Jr. (1923-1998), American astronaut, born in East
Derry, New Hampshire, and educated at the United States Naval Academy. After
his graduation and commission as an ensign in 1944, Shepard's naval duties
included service on a destroyer during World War II; he graduated from the
Navy Test Pilot School, Patuxent River, Maryland, and also from the Naval
War College, Newport, Rhode Island.
In 1959 Shepard was named
as one of the first seven astronauts. On May 5, 1961, he became the first
American in space, riding the tiny Freedom 7 capsule to an altitude of 185
km (115 mi) during a 15-minute sub-orbital flight. Two years later however,
he was grounded with a serious ear condition. An operation in 1969 proved
successful, and in February 1971 Shepard was commander of the Apollo 14 Moon
mission, during which he spent a record 33.5 hours on the surface of the
Moon. He resigned his commission with the navy in 1974. |
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