Freedom 7

Mercury

Freedom 7 carried Alan Shepard on a 15-minute suborbital flight, making him the first American in space.

OrbitingTruths Archive

Mercury • Mercury-Redstone 3

Overview

Built for the mission

Freedom 7 carried Alan Shepard on a 15-minute suborbital flight, making him the first American in space.

Type

Mercury Capsule

Mission

Mercury-Redstone 3

Pilot

Alan Shepard

Flight Profile

Suborbital

Launch Date

May 5, 1961

Program

Mercury

Status

On display, Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum

Related Program

America's first human spaceflight program, proving astronauts could survive and work in space.