37. [Mercury Redstone 3] THE HISTORIC LIFTOFF OF THE FIRST AMERICAN IN SPACE ALAN SHEPARD ABOARD FREEDOM 7 NASA, 5 May 1961 Printed 1961. Vintage chromogenic print on early fibre-based Kodak paper [NASA image S-61-1927]. With "EKC" watermark on the reverse (issued by NASA Kennedy Space Centre, Florida). 20.3 x 25.4cm. (8 x 10 in.) Historical context On May 5, 1961, the United States ignited the first candle of its human spaceflight program with the historic launch of Mercury-Redstone 3 from Cape Canaveral, Florida. This majestic photograph captures the 33-ton rocket as it begins its ascent from Pad 5, its alcohol-and-oxygen flame burning cleanly. The image symbolizes a transformative moment in U.S. space exploration, marking humanity's transition from Earth's surface to the vastness of space. Alan Shepard, piloting the Mercury spacecraft Freedom 7, became the first American to travel into space. During the 15-minute suborbital flight, he experienced five minutes of weightlessness, reached a top speed of 5,180 mph, ascended to an altitude of 116.5 miles, and splashed down 302 miles downrange in the Atlantic Ocean. Shepard's Freedom 7 mission was a resounding success, establishing the United States' entry into crewed spaceflight and propelling NASA forward in the Space Race with the Soviet Union. It laid the foundation for future milestones, culminating in the Apollo missions and the Moon landing.