Mercury-Atlas 6

Mercury-Atlas 6, also known as Freedom 7, was the first American crewed spacecraft to orbit the Earth. Launched on May 5, 1961, it carried astronaut Alan Shepard, who made a 15-minute flight that reached an altitude of about 186 kilometers (115 miles). This mission was a significant milestone in the U.S. space race against the Soviet Union. Freedom 7 demonstrated the capabilities of human spaceflight and provided valuable data for future missions, paving the way for subsequent flights and the eventual moon landing. Shepard's successful mission symbolized a major achievement in aerospace technology and exploration.