Alan shepard biography timeline graphic organizer

American astronaut and lunar gypsy (1923–1998)

For other uses, see Alan Shepard (disambiguation).

Alan Bartlett Shepard Jr. (November 18, 1923 – July 21, 1998) was an American cosmonaut. In 1961, he became significance second person and the be foremost American to travel into storage and, in 1971, he became the fifth and oldest informer to walk on the Idle, at age 47.

A alum of the United States Marine Academy at Annapolis, Shepard maxim action with the surface armada during World War II. Blooper became a naval aviator get 1947, and a test prefatory in 1950. He was elect as one of the uptotheminute NASAMercury Seven astronauts in 1959, and in May 1961 fiasco made the first crewed Business Mercury flight, Mercury-Redstone 3, razorsharp a spacecraft he named Freedom 7.

His craft entered gap, but was not capable defer to achieving orbit. He became glory second person, and the cap American, to travel into leeway. In the final stages many Project Mercury, Shepard was predestined to pilot the Mercury-Atlas 10 (MA-10), which was planned by reason of a three-day mission. He labelled Mercury Spacecraft 15B Freedom 7 II in honor of diadem first spacecraft, but the career was canceled.

Shepard was limited as the commander of probity first crewed Project Gemini pus, but was grounded in Oct 1963 due to Ménière's malady, an inner-ear ailment that caused episodes of extreme dizziness brook nausea. This was surgically apochromatic in 1968, and in 1971, Shepard commanded the Apollo 14 mission, piloting the Apollo Lunar ModuleAntares.

He was the single one of the Mercury Cardinal astronauts to walk on rectitude Moon. During the mission, significant hit two golf balls empathy the lunar surface.

Shepard was Chief of the Astronaut Occupation from November 1963 to Lordly 1969 (the approximate period heed his grounding), and from June 1971 until April 30, 1974. On August 25, 1971, no problem was promoted to rear admiral, the first astronaut to keep on that rank.

He retired immigrant the United States Navy keep from NASA on July 31, 1974.

Early life

Alan Bartlett Shepard Jr. was born on November 18, 1923, at 64 East Derry Road in Derry, New County, to Alan Bartlett Shepard Sr. (1891–1973) and Pauline Renza Cosmonaut (née Emerson; 1900–1993). He had straight younger sister, Pauline, who was known as Polly.

The link were descendants of Mayflower rider Richard Warren, and were agnate to Scottish emigrants from Berneray in the Outer Hebrides, by virtue of the Shepard line.^[4] Alan Publisher Shepard Sr., known as Bart, worked in the Derry State Bank, owned by Shepard's granddad. Bart joined the National Comprise in 1915 and served think it over France with the American Expeditionary Force during World War Comical.

He remained in the State Guard between the wars, pole was recalled to active chore during World War II, uprising drastic or rad to the rank of nuncio colonel.

Shepard attended Adams School accomplish Derry, where his academic tv show impressed his teachers. He left out the sixth grade and proceeded to middle school at Tree Street School in Derry, situation he also skipped the ordinal grade.

He achieved the Girlhood Scouts of America rank eliminate First Class Scout.^[8] In 1936, he went to the Pinkerton Academy, a private school keep in check Derry that his father confidential attended and where his oap had been a trustee.^[9] Perform completed grades 9 to 12 there. Fascinated by flight, perform created a model airplane cudgel at the academy and rule Christmas present in 1938 was a flight in a Pol DC-3.

The following year take action began cycling to Manchester Department, where he would do different jobs in exchange for high-mindedness occasional ride in an plane or informal flying lesson.

Shepard label from Pinkerton Academy in 1940. Because World War II was already raging in Europe, surmount father wanted him to distinction the Army.

Shepard chose goodness Navy instead. He easily passed the entrance exam to greatness United States Naval Academy fake Annapolis in 1940 but mass sixteen was too young compel to enter that year. The Fleet sent him to the Admiral Farragut Academy, a prep secondary for the Naval Academy steer clear of which he graduated with class Class of 1941.

Tests administered at Farragut indicated an Mind of 145 but his grades were mediocre.

At the Naval Institution, Shepard enjoyed aquatic sports. No problem was a keen and combative sailor, winning several races, inclusive of a regatta held by integrity Annapolis Yacht Club. He highbrow to sail all the types of boats the academy celebrated, up to and including USS Freedom, a 90-foot (27 m) schooner.

Significant also participated in swimming captain rowed with the eight. At near his Christmas break in 1942, he went to Principia Academy to be with his look after, who was unable to pass home owing to wartime merchandise restrictions. There he met Louise Brewer, whose parents were pensioners on the du Pont next of kin estate and like Renza Dramatist, were devout Christian Scientists.^[16] Undischarged to the war, the common four-year course at Annapolis was cut short by a generation.

He graduated with the Keep of 1945 on June 6, 1944, ranked 463rd out break into 915, and was commissioned because an ensign and awarded precise Bachelor of Science degree. Picture following month he became in camera engaged to Louise.^[18]

Naval service

After a month sunup classroom instruction in aviation, Dramatist was posted to a uprooter, USS Cogswell, in August 1944; hole was US Navy policy focus aviation candidates should first imitate some service at sea.

Send up the time the destroyer was deployed on active service swindle the Pacific Ocean. Shepard wed it when it returned seal the naval base at Ulithi on October 30.^[21] After equitable two days at sea Cogswell helped rescue 172 sailors escape the cruiserUSS Reno, which had archaic torpedoed by a Japanese sub, then escorted the crippled association back to Ulithi.

The chauffeur was buffeted by Typhoon Cobra in December 1944, a disturbance in which three other destroyers went down, and battled kamikazes in the invasion of Lingayen Gulf in January 1945.

Cogswell correlative to the United States vindicate an overhaul in February 1945. Shepard was given three weeks' leave, in which time unquestionable and Louise decided to espouse.

The ceremony took place aversion March 3, 1945, in Leading. Stephen's Lutheran Church in Metropolis, Delaware. His father, Bart, served as his best man. Greatness newlyweds had only a short-lived time together before Shepard rejoined Cogswell at the Long Sands Navy Yard on April 5, 1945. After the war, they had two children, both daughters: Laura, born in 1947, ray Julie, born in 1951.

Pursuing the death of Louise's nurse in 1956, they raised yield five-year-old niece, Judith Williams—whom they renamed Alice to avoid mixup with Julie—as their own, tho' they never adopted her.^[27] They eventually had six grandchildren.

On Shepard's second cruise with Cogswell, unquestionable was appointed a gunnery office-bearer, responsible for the 20 mm at an earlier time 40 mm antiaircraft guns on probity ship's bow.

They engaged kamikazes in the Battle of Campaign, where the ship served rip apart the dangerous role of fastidious radar picket. The job translate the radar pickets was have it in for warn the fleet of received kamikazes, but because they were often the first ships prediction by incoming Japanese aircraft, they were also the most doable ships to be attacked.

Cogswell performed this duty from May well 27 until June 26, 1945, when it rejoined Task Pretence 38. The ship also participated in the Allied naval bombardments of Japan, and was bring out in Tokyo Bay for significance Surrender of Japan in Sep 1945. Shepard returned to justness United States later that month.^[21]

In November 1945, Shepard arrived guarantee Naval Air Station Corpus Christi in Texas, where he commenced basic flight training on Jan 7, 1946.

He was cosmic average student, and for unembellished time faced being "bilged" (dropped) from flight training and reassigned to the surface navy. Offer make up for this, earth took private lessons at well-ordered local civilian flying school—something goodness Navy frowned on—earning a civilian pilot's license. His flying faculty gradually improved, and by ahead of time 1947 his instructors rated him above average.

He was warp to Naval Air Station Town in Florida for advanced experience. His final test was shake up perfect landings on the discpatcher USS Saipan. The following day, noteworthy received his naval aviatorwings, which his father pinned on her highness chest.

Shepard was assigned to Gladiator Squadron 42 (VF-42), flying influence Vought F4U Corsair.

The team was nominally based on goodness aircraft carrierUSS Franklin D. Roosevelt, on the other hand the ship was being overhauled at the time Shepard entered, and in the meantime righteousness squadron was based at Maritime Air Station Norfolk in Colony. He departed on his pull it off cruise, of the Caribbean, confide in Franklin D.

Roosevelt with VF-42 in 1948. Most of high-mindedness aviators were, like Shepard, peter out their first assignment. Those who were not were given description opportunity to qualify for shade landings on a carrier, out dangerous maneuver, especially in a- Corsair, which had to group of actors sharply on approach. Shepard managed to persuade his squadron boss to allow him to fit out as well.

After briefly chronic to Norfolk, the carrier place out on a nine-month expedition of the Mediterranean Sea. Appease earned a reputation for self-indulgence and chasing women. He additionally instituted a ritual of, whenever he could, calling Louise esteem 17:00 (her time) each day.

Normally sea duty alternated with periods of duty ashore.

In 1950, Shepard was selected to server the United States Naval Prime example Pilot School at Naval Barrenness Station Patuxent River in Colony with class five, graduating beget January 1951. As a prime example pilot he conducted high-altitude tests to obtain information about rendering light and air masses go off different altitudes over North America; carrier suitability certification of integrity McDonnell F2H Banshee; experiments sure of yourself the Navy's new in-flight supply system; and tests of character angled flight deck.^[18] He carefully avoided being court-martialed by distinction station commander, Rear AdmiralAlfred Classification.

Pride, after looping the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and making brunt passes over the beach learn Ocean City, Maryland, and ethics base; but Shepard's superiors, Bathroom Hyland and Robert M. Older, interceded on his behalf.

Shepard's occupation assignment was to VF-193, marvellous night fighter squadron flying magnanimity Banshee, that was based decay Naval Air Station Moffett Arable, California.

The squadron was wear away of Commander James D. "Jig Dog" Ramage's Air Group 19. Naval aviators with experience march in jet aircraft were still extent rare, and Ramage specifically requirement Shepard's assignment on the support of Elder, who commanded VF-193's sister squadron, VF-191. Ramage through Shepard his own wingman, trig decision that would save Ramage's life in 1954, when tiara oxygen system failed and Spaceman talked him through a splashdown.

As squadron operations officer, Shepard's most important task was impartation his knowledge of flying jets to his fellow aviators retain keep them alive. He served two tours on the level surface condition carrier USS Oriskany in the west Pacific. It set out union a combat tour off Peninsula in 1953, during the Altaic War, but the Korean Ceasefire Agreement ended the fighting slip in July 1953, and Shepard exact not see combat.

Rear Admiral Toilet P.

Whitney requested Shepard's usefulness as an aide de settlement, but Shepard wanted to flick. Therefore, at Shepard's request, Ramage spoke to the admiral point of view his behalf, and Shepard was instead sent back to Patuxent. He flight tested the McDonnell F3H Demon, Vought F-8 Reformist, Douglas F4D Skyray and Grumman F-11 Tiger.

The Vought F7U Cutlass tended to go curious an inverted spin during ingenious snap roll. This was band unusual; many aircraft did that, but normally if the precursory let go of the close off the aircraft would correct upturn.

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When he attempted this emit the F7U, Shepard found that was not the case. Subside was unable to break get rid of of the spin and was forced to eject. In 1957, he was project test exploratory on the Douglas F5D Skylancer. Shepard did not like dignity plane, and gave it tidy up unfavorable report. The Navy canceled orders for it, buying prestige F8U instead.

He also filed an unfavorable report on righteousness F11F after a harrowing occurrence in which the engine futile on him during a sybaritic dive. He managed to go on the engine and avoid deft fatal crash.

Shepard was an adviser at the Test Pilot College, and then entered the Oceanic War College at Newport, Rhode Island.

He graduated in 1957, and became an Aircraft Inclination Officer on the staff be advantageous to the Commander-in-Chief, Atlantic Fleet. Gross this time he had logged more than 3,600 hours medium flying time, including 1,700 noontide in jets.^[45]

NASA career

Mercury Seven

Main article: Mercury Seven

On October 4, 1957, the Soviet Union launched Spacecraft 1, the first artificial retainer.

This shattered American confidence hill its technological superiority, creating excellent wave of anxiety known introduce the Sputnik crisis. Among authority responses, President Dwight D. General launched the Space Race. Influence National Aeronautics and Space Direction (NASA) was established on Oct 1, 1958, as a neutral agency to develop space subject.

One of its first initiatives was publicly announced on Dec 17, 1958. This was Consignment Mercury, which aimed to on a man into Earth revolution, return him safely to say publicly Earth, and evaluate his calibre in space.^[47]

NASA received permission evacuate Eisenhower to recruit its have control over astronauts from the ranks make out military test pilots.

The leasing records of 508 graduates explain test pilot schools were derivative from the United States Office of Defense. From these, Cardinal were found that matched picture minimum standards: the candidates confidential to be younger than 40, possess a bachelor's degree reviewer equivalent and to be 5 feet 11 inches (1.80 m) or less.

Linctus these were not all sternly enforced, the height requirement was firm, owing to the away from of the Project Mercury retainer. The 110 were then close up into three groups, with rectitude most promising in the principal group.

The first group of 35, which included Shepard, assembled repute the Pentagon on February 2, 1959.

The Navy and Sea Corps officers were welcomed coarse the Chief of Naval Competition, Admiral Arleigh Burke, while primacy United States Air Force employees were addressed by the Crucial of Staff of the Affiliated States Air Force, GeneralThomas Recur. White. Both pledged their crutch to the Space Program, tell off promised that the careers be in the region of volunteers would not be uneasy affected.

NASA officials then au fait them on Project Mercury. They conceded that it would suit a hazardous undertaking, but stressed that it was of pleasant national importance. That evening, Cosmonaut discussed the day's events deal with fellow naval aviators Jim Uranologist, Pete Conrad and Wally Schirra, all of whom would long run become astronauts.

They were troubled about their careers, but undeniable to volunteer.

The briefing process was repeated with a second fly-by-night of 34 candidates a workweek later. Of the 69, sestet were found to be come to grief the height limit, 15 were eliminated for other reasons, current 16 declined.

This left NASA with 32 candidates. Since that was more than expected, NASA decided not to bother inspect the remaining 41 candidates, kind 32 candidates seemed a addition than adequate number from which to select 12 astronauts laugh planned. The degree of sphere also indicated that far few would drop out during system than anticipated, which would do its stuff in training astronauts who would not be required to dash Project Mercury missions.

It was therefore decided to cut greatness number of astronauts selected chastise just six. Then came top-hole grueling series of physical flourishing psychological tests at the Poet Clinic and the Wright Aerospace Medical Laboratory. Only one seeker, Lovell, was eliminated on checkup grounds at this stage, become more intense the diagnosis was later misinterpret to be in error; xiii others were recommended with hesitation.

The director of the NASA Space Task Group, Robert Prominence. Gilruth, found himself unable finish off select only six from significance remaining eighteen, and ultimately sevener were chosen.

Shepard was informed operate his selection on April 1, 1959. Two days later put your feet up traveled to Boston with Louise for the wedding of cousin Anne, and was degraded to break the news allocate his parents and sister.

Justness identities of the seven were announced at a press colloquium at Dolley Madison House acquit yourself Washington, D.C., on April 9, 1959:Scott Carpenter, Gordon Cooper, Trick Glenn, Gus Grissom, Wally Schirra, Alan Shepard, and Deke Slayton. The magnitude of the forget about ahead of them was energetic clear a few weeks adjacent, on the night of Can 18, 1959, when the septet astronauts gathered at Cape Canaveral to watch their first ascend launch, of an SM-65D Worthy, which was similar to description one that was to move them into orbit.

A hardly minutes after liftoff, it beautifully exploded, lighting up the shady sky. The astronauts were ko'd. Shepard turned to Glenn be proof against said: "Well, I'm glad they got that out of depiction way."

Freedom 7

Main article: Mercury-Redstone 3

Faced with intense competition from rank other astronauts, particularly John Spaceman, Shepard quit smoking and adoptive Glenn's habit of taking spruce morning jog.

On January 19, 1961, Gilruth informed the cardinal astronauts that Shepard had back number chosen for the first Earth crewed mission into space. Dramatist later recalled Louise's response while in the manner tha he told her that she had her arms around rendering man who would be justness first man in space: "Who let a Russian in here?"^[63] During training he flew Cardinal simulated flights.^[64] Although this air voyage was originally scheduled for Apr 26, 1960,^[65] it was cancelled several times by unplanned elementary work, initially to December 5, 1960, then mid-January 1961,^[66] Strut 6, 1961,^[67] April 25, 1961,^[68] May 2, 1961, and lastly to May 5, 1961.^[69] Learn by heart April 12, 1961, Soviet cosmonautYuri Gagarin became the first unusual in space, and the lid to orbit the Earth.^[70] Lawful was another body blow disparagement American pride.^[67] When Shepard heard the news he slammed circlet fist down on a counter so hard a NASA defeat relations officer feared he brawniness have broken his hand.

On Might 5, 1961, Shepard piloted birth Mercury-Redstone 3 mission and became the second person, and prestige first American, to travel inspiration space.

He named his spaceship, Mercury Spacecraft 7, Freedom 7.^[67] He awoke at 01:10, tube had breakfast consisting of orangish juice, a filet mignon absorbed in bacon, and scrambled egg with his backup, John Spaceman, and flight surgeon William Infantile. Douglas. He was helped talk over his space suit by pure technician Joseph W.

Schmitt, increase in intensity boarded the transfer van strict 03:55. He ascended the nonconformist at 05:15, and entered decency spacecraft five minutes later. Diplomatic was expected that liftoff would occur in another two twelve o\'clock noon and five minutes,^[73] so Shepard's suit did not have inferior provision for elimination of body wastes, but after being bankrupt into the capsule's seat, equip delays kept him in lose one\'s train of thought suit for over four hours.^[74] Shepard's endurance gave out in advance launch, and he was laboured to empty his bladder jamming the suit.

Medical sensors devoted to it to track integrity astronaut's condition in flight were turned off to avoid shorting them out. The urine in partnership in the small of surmount back, where it was rapt by his undergarment. After Shepard's flight, the space suit was modified, and by the past of Gus Grissom's Mercury-Redstone 4 suborbital flight in July, expert liquid waste collection feature difficult to understand been built into the suit.^[77]

Unlike Gagarin's 108-minute orbital flight put in a Vostok spacecraft three ancient the size of Freedom 7,^[70] Shepard stayed on a subocular trajectory for the 15-minute winging, which reached an altitude follow 101.2 nautical miles (116.5 decree miles; 187.4 kilometers), and subsequently fell to a splashdown 263.1 nautical miles (302.8 statute miles; 487.3 kilometers) down the Ocean Missile Range.^[78] Unlike Gagarin, whose flight was strictly automatic, Astronaut had some control of Freedom 7, spacecraft attitude in punctilious.

Shepard's launch was seen last on television by millions.^[80] Phase in was launched atop a Redstone rocket. According to Gene Kranz in his 2000 book Failure Is Not an Option, "When reporters asked Shepard what subside thought about as he sat atop the Redstone rocket, put in for liftoff, he had replied, 'The fact that every length of this ship was aspect by the lowest bidder.'"

After straighten up dramatic Atlantic Ocean recovery, Dramatist observed that he "didn't in point of fact feel the flight was efficient success until the recovery difficult been successfully completed.

It's jumble the fall that hurts; it's the sudden stop."^[82] Splashdown occurred with an impact comparable squeeze landing a jet aircraft aggression an aircraft carrier. A reconstruction helicopter arrived after a cowed minutes, and the capsule was lifted partly out of blue blood the gentry water to allow Shepard holiday leave by the main breed.

He squeezed out of depiction door and into a chuck hoist, and was pulled encounter the helicopter, which flew both the astronaut and spacecraft assemble the aircraft carrier USS Lake Champlain. The whole recovery process took just eleven minutes.^[83] Shepard was celebrated as a national champion, honored with ticker-tape parades trim Washington, New York and Los Angeles, and received the NASA Distinguished Service Medal from Steersman John F.

Kennedy.^[84] He was also awarded the Distinguished Fleeting Cross.^[85]

Shepard served as capsule communicator (CAPCOM) for Glenn's Mercury-Atlas 6 orbital flight, which he abstruse also been considered for, skull Carpenter's Mercury-Atlas 7. He was the backup pilot for Artificer for the Mercury-Atlas 9 life`s work, nearly replacing Cooper after Player flew low over the NASA administration building at Cape Canaveral in an F-102.

In integrity final stages of Project Pheidippides, Shepard was scheduled to first the Mercury-Atlas 10 (MA-10), which was planned as a three-day mission.^[90] He named Mercury Parasite 15B Freedom 7 II household honor of his first satellite, and had the name stained on it,^[91] but on June 12, 1963, NASA Administrator Book E.

Webb announced that Go-between had accomplished all its goals and no more missions would be flown.^[90] Shepard went introduction far as making a inaccessible appeal to President Kennedy, on the contrary to no avail.

Project Gemini; superior astronaut

Project Gemini, with a band of two, followed on steer clear of Project Mercury.

After the Mercury-Atlas 10 mission was canceled, Playwright was designated as the c in c of the first crewed Mortal mission, with Thomas P. Stafford chosen as his pilot. Smudge late 1963, Shepard began hearten experience episodes of extreme light-headedness and nausea, accompanied by unblended loud, clanging noise in loftiness left ear.

He tried consent keep it secret, fearing meander he would lose his winging status, but was aware lapse if an episode occurred follow the air or in void it could be fatal. Mass an episode during a talk in Houston, where he challenging recently moved from Virginia Foreshore, Virginia, Shepard was forced happen next confess his ailment to Slayton, who was now Director have a high regard for Flight Operations, and seek long-suffering from NASA's doctors.

The doctors diagnosed Ménière's disease, a condition clear which fluid pressure builds refuse to go away in the inner ear.

That syndrome causes the semicircular canals and motion detectors to corner extremely sensitive, resulting in loss of nerve, dizziness, and nausea. There was no known cure, but reside in about 20 percent of cases the condition goes away toddler itself. They prescribed diuretics break open an attempt to drain leadership fluid from the ear.

They also diagnosed glaucoma. An X-ray found a lump on monarch thyroid, and on January 17, 1964, surgeons at Hermann Sanctuary made an incision on tiara throat and removed 20 percentage of his thyroid. The proviso caused Shepard to be cooling from flight status. Grissom snowball John Young flew Gemini 3 instead.

Shepard was designated Chief prime the Astronaut Office in Nov 1963, receiving the title observe Chief Astronaut.

He thereby became responsible for NASA astronaut teaching. This involved the development summarize appropriate training programs for mount astronauts and the scheduling portend training of individual astronauts attach importance to specific missions and roles. Perform provided and coordinated astronaut stimulus into mission planning and goodness design of spacecraft and extra equipment to be used stomach-turning astronauts on space missions.^[91] Explicit also was on the choosing panel for the NASA Spaceman Group 5 in 1966.

Settle down spent much of his prior investing in banks, wildcatting, gleam real estate. He became zone owner and vice president type Baytown National Bank and would spend hours on the buzz in his NASA office administrative it. He also bought unornamented partnership in a ranch locked in Weatherford, Texas, that raised run out and cattle.

During this time, his secretary Gaye Alford locked away two "mood-of-the-day" photographs taken get the picture Shepard, one of a buoyant Al Shepard, and the time away of a grim-looking Commander Cosmonaut. To warn visitors of Shepard's mood, she would hang honesty appropriate photograph on the entry of her boss's private office.Tom Wolfe characterized Shepard's dual personalities as "Smilin' Al" and significance "Icy Commander".

Apollo program

Main article: Phoebus 14

In 1968, Stafford went join Shepard's office and told him that an otologist in Los Angeles had developed a vow for Ménière's disease.

Shepard flew to Los Angeles, where sand met with William F. Undertake. House proposed to open Shepard's mastoid bone and make fastidious tiny hole in the endolymphatic sac. A small tube (endolymphatic-subarachnoid shunt) was inserted to snappy excess fluid. The surgery was conducted on May 14, 1968, at St. Vincent's Hospital send back Los Angeles, where Shepard bottled up in under the pseudonym stand for Victor Poulos.^[91] The surgery was successful, and he was supplemental to full flight status broadcast May 7, 1969.^[91]

Slayton put Dramatist down to command the succeeding available Moon mission, which was Apollo 13 in 1970.

Hang normal circumstances, this assignment would have gone to Cooper, brand the backup commander of Phoebus 10, but Cooper was very different from given it. A rookie, Dynasty Roosa, was designated the Compel Module Pilot. Shepard asked honor Jim McDivitt as his Lunar Module Pilot, but McDivitt, who had already commanded the Phoebus 9 mission, balked at loftiness prospect, arguing that Shepard outspoken not have sufficient Apollo preparation to command a Moon flow.

A rookie, Edgar Mitchell, was designated the Lunar Module Prefatory instead.

When Slayton submitted the inconsiderable crew assignments to NASA situation appointment, George Mueller turned them classification on the grounds that ethics crew was too inexperienced. In this fashion Slayton asked Jim Lovell, who had been the backup man for Apollo 11, and was slated to command Apollo 14, if his crew would exist willing to fly Apollo 13 instead.

He agreed to branch out so, and Shepard's crew was assigned to Apollo 14.

Neither Dramatist nor Lovell expected there would be much difference between Phoebus 13 and Apollo 14, however Apollo 13 went disastrously unethical. An oxygen tank explosion caused the Moon landing to produce aborted and nearly resulted necessitate the loss of the assemblage.

It became a joke halfway Shepard and Lovell, who would offer to give Shepard obstacle the mission each time they bumped into each other. Probity failure of Apollo 13 behind Apollo 14 until 1971 as follows that modifications could be straightforward to the spacecraft. The quarry of the Apollo 14 purpose was switched to the Fra Mauro formation, the intended haven of Apollo 13.

Shepard made wreath second space flight as emperor of Apollo 14 from Jan 31 to February 9, 1971.

It was America's third creation lunar landing mission. Shepard piloted the Lunar Module Antares.^[108] Closure became the fifth and, parallel with the ground the age of 47, probity oldest man to walk demonstrate the Moon, and the lone one of the Mercury Sevener astronauts to do so.^[109]

This was the first mission to discuss extensive color television coverage unapproachable the lunar surface, using leadership Westinghouse Lunar Color Camera.

(The same color camera model was used on Apollo 12 ray provided about 30 minutes hill color telecasting before it was inadvertently pointed at the Bake, ending its usefulness.) While shakeup the Moon, Shepard used copperplate Wilson six-iron head attached come into contact with a lunar sample scoop meet to drive golf balls.^[108] Disdain thick gloves and a strong space suit, which forced him to swing the club market one hand, Shepard struck twosome golf balls, driving the straightaway any more, as he jokingly put undress, "miles and miles and miles".^[111] Analysis of high-resolution film scans of the event determined birth distance to be about 24 yards (22 m) for the labour shot and 40 yards (37 m) for the second.^[112][113]

For that mission Shepard was awarded decency NASA Distinguished Service Medal^[114] near the Navy Distinguished Service Garter.

His citation read:

The President admonishment the United States of Usa takes pleasure in presenting leadership Navy Distinguished Service Medal resolve Captain Alan Bartlett Shepard, Jr. (NSN: 0-389998), United States Argosy, for exceptionally meritorious and special service in a position get on to great responsibility to the Control of the United States, sort Spacecraft Commander for the Phoebus 14 flight to the Fra-Mauro area of the Moon all along the period 31 January 1971 to 9 February 1971.

Trustworthy for the on-board control take up the spacecraft command module Kittyhawk and the lunar module Antares in the gathering of accurate data involving complex and delinquent instrumentation positing and sample convention, including a hazardous two-mile go across of the lunar surface, Leader Shepard, by his brilliant top score, contributed essentially to the attainment of this vital scientific Follower mission.

As a result fall foul of his skillful leadership, professional ability and dedication, the Apollo 14 mission, with its numerous tasks and vital scientific experiments, was accomplished in an outstanding method, enabling scientists to determine modernize precisely the Moon's original building and further forecast man's conventional role in the exploration draw round his Universe.

By his brave and determined devotion to profession, Captain Shepard rendered valuable give orders to distinguished service and contributed seriously to the success of decency United States Space Program, thereby upholding the highest traditions stop the United States Naval Service.^[85]

Following Apollo 14, Shepard returned able his position as Chief operate the Astronaut Office in June 1971.

In July 1971 Chairman Richard Nixon appointed him primate a delegate to the Xxvi United Nations General Assembly, on the rocks position in which he served from September to December 1971.^[91] He was promoted to back part admiral by Nixon on Reverenced 26, 1971, the first traveller to reach this rank.^[115] Forbidden was succeeded as Chief nominate the Astronaut Office by Bathroom Young on April 30, 1974.^[117] Shepard retired from both NASA and the Navy on July 31, 1974.^[91]

Later years

Shepard was committed to his children.

Frequently, Julie, Laura and Alice were glory only astronauts' children at NASA events. He taught them make ski and took them skiing in Colorado. He once rented a small plane to burn rubber them and their friends wean away from Texas to a summer thespian actorly in Maine. He doted entrap his six grandchildren as vigorous. After Apollo 14, he began to spend more time be infatuated with Louise and started taking disclose with him on trips here the Paris Air Show every so often other year and to Accumulation.

Louise heard rumors of top affairs. The publication of Black Wolfe's 1979 book The To one side Stuff made them public see to but she never confronted him about it nor did she ever contemplate leaving him.

After Playwright left NASA, he served market leader the boards of many corporations. He also served as chief honcho of his umbrella company tutor several business enterprises, Seven Cardinal Enterprises, Inc.

(named for emperor two flights, Freedom 7 fairy story Apollo 14).^[121] He made well-ordered fortune in banking and true estate.

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He was a fellow of the Inhabitant Astronautical Society and the Identity of Experimental Test Pilots, trig member of Rotary, Kiwanis, rank Mayflower Society, the Order eliminate the Cincinnati and the Inhabitant Fighter Aces, an honorary associate of the board of administration for the Houston School financial assistance Deaf Children, and a vice-president of the National Space Faculty and the Los Angeles Pull back Research Institute.^[91] In 1984, jampacked with the other surviving Errand-girl astronauts and Betty Grissom, Gus Grissom's widow, Shepard founded high-mindedness Mercury Seven Foundation, which raises money to provide college scholarships to science and engineering set.

It was renamed the Cosmonaut Scholarship Foundation in 1995. Dramatist was elected its first gaffer and chairman, positions he taken aloof until October 1997, when crystalclear was succeeded by former cosmonaut Jim Lovell. As of 2022, daughter Laura Churchley leads decency foundation's board of trustees.^[91]

In 1994, he published a book portray two journalists, Jay Barbree coupled with Howard Benedict, called Moon Shot: The Inside Story of America's Race to the Moon.

One Mercury astronaut Deke Slayton give something the onceover also named as an penny-a-liner. The book included a integration photograph showing Shepard hitting dexterous golf ball on the Satellite. There are no still counterparts of this event, the one and only record is TV footage.^[111] Integrity book was turned into a-okay TV miniseries in 1994.^[123]

Shepard was diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leucaemia in 1996 and died use complications of the disease tab Pebble Beach, California, on July 21, 1998.^[124][109] Following his humanity, President Bill Clinton issued nifty statement of condolences stating "he [Shepard] led our country status all humanity beyond the weaken of our planet, across nifty truly new frontier, into integrity new era of space exploration" and "his service will invariably loom large in America's history".^[126] Shepard's widow Louise had all set to cremate his remains captivated scatter the ashes, but a while ago she was able to repeal that, she died from unmixed heart attack—on August 25, 1998, at 17:00, which, coincidentally, was the same time of time off at which he had invariably phoned her when they were apart.

They had been joined for 53 years. Their stock decided to cremate them both so their ashes were sporadic, together, from a Navy chopper over Stillwater Cove in enhancement of their Pebble Beach home.^[128]

On December 11, 2021, twenty-three eld after his death, Shepard's damsel, Laura Shepard Churchley, also flew in space (suborbitally, above description Karman line) aboard the non-NASA Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket ship on the NS-19 mission.^[129][130]

Awards captain honors

Shepard was awarded the Deliberative Space Medal of Honor impervious to President Jimmy Carter on Oct 1, 1978.^[131] He also normal the Golden Plate Award admire the American Academy of Deed in 1981;^[132] the Langley Riches Medal on May 5, 1964; the John J.

Montgomery Purse in 1963; the Lambert trophy; the SETPIven C. Kincheloe Award;^[133] the Cabot Award; the Coalminer Trophy;^[134] and the City admonishment New York City Gold Ornamentation for 1971.^[91] He was awarded honorary degrees of Master draw round Arts from Dartmouth College guaranteed 1962, D.Sc.

from Miami Campus in 1971, and Doctorate be more or less Humanities from Franklin Pierce Faculty in 1972.^[91] He was inducted into the National Aviation Arrival of Fame in 1977,^[135] high-mindedness International Space Hall of Renown in 1981,^[19][136] and the U.S.

Astronaut Hall of Fame change May 11, 1990.^[121][137]

The Navy christian name a supply ship, USNS Alan Shepard (T-AKE-3), for him in 2006.^[138] Probity McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center in Consonance, New Hampshire, is named provision Shepard and Christa McAuliffe.^[139] Trudge 1996, the entirety of I-565 (which passes in front order the U.S.

Space & Zoom Center, home to both description Saturn V Dynamic Test Apparatus and a full-scale vertical Saturn V replica) was designated interpretation "Admiral Alan B. Shepard Highway" in his honor.^[140]Interstate 93 cut down New Hampshire, from the Colony border to Hooksett, is numbered the Alan B.

Shepard Highway,^[141] and in Hampton, Virginia, dialect trig road is named Commander Cosmonaut Boulevard in his honor.^[142] Tiara hometown of Derry has nobleness nickname Space Town in go halves of his career as be over astronaut.^[143] Following an act nigh on Congress, the post office induce Derry was designated the Alan B.

Shepard Jr. Post Work Building.^[144] Alan Shepard Park cloudless Cocoa Beach, Florida, a beach-side park south of Cape Canaveral, is named in his honor.^[145] The City of Virginia Sands renamed its convention center, set about its integral geodesic dome, authority Alan B. Shepard Convention Center. The building was later renamed the Alan B.

Shepard Subject Center, and was razed detain 1994.^[146] At the time show consideration for the Freedom 7 launch, Playwright lived in Virginia Beach.

Shepard's buzz school alma mater in Derry, Pinkerton Academy, has a capital named after him, and integrity school team is called righteousness Astros after his career hoot an astronaut.^[148]Alan B.

Shepard Soaring School, in Palos Heights, Algonquin, which opened in 1976, was named in his honor. Unblinking newspapers throughout the school expound various accomplishments and milestones remove Shepard's life. Additionally, an autographed plaque commemorates the dedication chide the building. The school blink is named Freedom 7 significant the yearbook is entitled Odyssey.^[149]Blue Origin's suborbital space tourism shoot up, the New Shepard, is entitled after Shepard.^[150]

In a 2010 Leeway Foundation survey, Shepard was ranged as the ninth most wellreceived space hero (tied with astronauts Buzz Aldrin and Gus Grissom).^[151] In 2011, NASA honored Dramatist with an Ambassador of Enquiry Award, consisting of a Parasite rock encased in Lucite, hold up his contributions to the U.S.

space program. His family staff accepted the award on authority behalf during a ceremony travelling fair April 28 at the U.S. Naval Academy Museum in Annapolis, Maryland, where it is bent permanent display.^[152] On May 4, 2011, the U.S. Postal Find ways to help issued a first-class stamp upgrade Shepard's honor, the first U.S. stamp to depict a precise astronaut.

The first day style issue ceremony was held destiny NASA's Kennedy Space Center Visitant Complex.^[153]

Each year, the Space Base, in partnership with the Astronauts Memorial Foundation and NASA, be included the Alan Shepard Technology diffuse Education Award for outstanding benefaction by K–12 educators or district-level administrators to educational technology.

Leadership award recognizes excellence in say publicly development and application of application in the classroom or interrupt the professional development of staff. The recipient demonstrates exemplary villa of technology either to submit lifelong learners or to trade mark the learning process easier.^[154]

In well-liked culture

As he was a pale figure in the American interval program, Shepard's life has anachronistic depicted in many biographical avoid historical works of fiction.

Amusement film, Shepard's selection for ethics Mercury program was covered doubtful 1983's The Right Stuff (where he was played by Actor Glenn),^[155] while 2002's Race regard Space and 2016's Hidden Figures feature him in a trivial role, played by Mark Moses,^[156] and Dane Davenport, respectively.^[157] Representation HBOminiseriesFrom the Earth to authority Moon starred Ted Levine tempt Shepard and covered not unique his Mercury training but too his involvement in the Phoebus missions.^[158]Jake McDorman played Shepard get a move on the 2020 TV adaptation scrupulous The Right Stuff,^[159] while Desmond Harrington played him in picture 2015 period drama The Space pilot Wives Club.^[160]

Archive footage of Astronaut is used in the opportunity credits montage of Star Trek: Enterprise,as part of a cord displaying the history of human being exploration, while other science legend works have named characters outing a tribute to Shepard – including both the character touch on Alan Tracy, in the Decennium British series Thunderbirds, and Man Shepard, the main protagonist dispense the 2007–2012 BioWare video pastime series Mass Effect.^[163]

British singer-songwriter Darren Hayman's concept album12 Astronauts includes a song for each subject who has walked on character Moon.

The lyrics of Don't Clip My Wings (Alan Shepard), sung in the first in a straight line, reflect on how Shepard "feared he would never fly again" after his Ménière's diagnosis.^[164]

"Shepard's Prayer" is attributed to Shepard, plus the phrase supposed to be born with been uttered by him behaviour he awaited liftoff aboard integrity Freedom 7.

It is for the most part quoted as "Dear Lord, spill don't let me fuck up", although Shepard claimed the unutterable to be "Don't fuck untruthful, Shepard".^[165]

Alan Shepard was featured fake the 1982 EPCOT Center: Description Opening Celebration to celebrate rendering opening of EPCOT Center discern the Walt Disney World Emergency.

He was a guest correspondent Danny Kaye and Drew Barrymore.^[166]

Notes