Alan Shepard

Alan Shepard was the first American to fly in space, completing a suborbital flight in 1961. Years later, he overcame a career-threatening inner ear condition to command the Apollo 14 mission, where he became the oldest person to walk on the moon. Shepard was known for his intense competitiveness and his 'can-do' attitude, which helped define the culture of the early NASA astronaut corps. His journey from the first American in space to a lunar explorer is one of the most remarkable comeback stories in the history of aerospace.