May 5. 1961

Originally shared by Elizabeth Therese Niwel

May 5. 1961
Recovery of Freedom 7
A Marine helicopter picks up Mercury astronaut Alan Shepard and his Freedom 7 capsule in the Atlantic Ocean after his first American sub-orbital flight on May 5, 1961.

Engineers said the spacecraft was in such great shape it could be reused. Doctors said Shepard could be used again too. Only 11 minutes after landing, he was onboard the U.S. Navy carrier Lake Champlain, where he took a congratulatory phone call from President Kennedy.

Editor: NASA Administrator

Image Credit: NASA