description Mercury Freedom 7 Overview
American spacecraft that carried Alan Shepard on May 5, 1961, making him the first American in space during a suborbital flight lasting 15 minutes.
insights Why this score
Mercury Freedom 7 ranks #21 of 101 in the Spacecraft ranking, behind SpaceX Cargo Dragon, ahead of Yutu-2 rover.
First American in space, iconic national milestone, though suborbital scope ranks below orbital achievements.
help Mercury Freedom 7 FAQ
Did Freedom 7 orbit Earth?
No. Alan Shepard's Mercury-Redstone 3 mission followed a suborbital trajectory, unlike John Glenn's orbital Friendship 7 flight the following year.
How long was Alan Shepard's Freedom 7 flight?
The flight on May 5, 1961 lasted a little over 15 minutes. It made Shepard the first American in space, less than a month after Yuri Gagarin's orbital mission.
Could Alan Shepard control Freedom 7 himself?
Yes. Shepard tested manual attitude controls during the flight rather than serving only as a passive passenger, an important objective of Project Mercury.
Where did Freedom 7 land after its flight?
The capsule splashed down in the Atlantic Ocean and was recovered by the aircraft carrier USS Lake Champlain. Shepard was lifted from the water by helicopter shortly after landing.
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