July 21, 1998: Alan Shepard dies

Today in the history of astronomy, America’s first man in space passes away. | Published: July 21, 2026 Alan Shepard's pressure suit is tested on May 5, 1961, prior to his famous flight as the first American in space. Credit: NASA Born in New Hampshire in 1923, Alan Shepard served in the Navy during World War II, subsequently entering flight training and graduating from the Navy Test Pilot School in 1951. In 1959, he was selected for Project Mercury as one of America’s first seven astronauts, alongside Gil Grissom, Deke Slayton, and John Glenn. On May 5, 1961, Shepard became the first American in space; his flight on Freedom 7 lasted 15 minutes and reached 116 miles (188 kilometers) in altitude. Ten years later, he served as commander of Apollo 14, landing on the Moon as NASA’s oldest astronaut at the time. He also became the only man to play golf on the Moon when he smacked a golf ball with a lunar sampling tool he had modified with a 6-iron head. He retired from NASA and the Navy in 1974 and went on to work in the private sector and as the chair of the Mercury 7 foundation, passing away on July 21, 1998. Elisa Neckar is senior production editor of Astronomy magazine, and the editor of the Today in the History of Astronomy feature on Astronomy.com.