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<p><b>New page</b></p><div>[[File:Business_suit_portrait_of_Al_Shepard.jpg|thumb|Business suit portrait of Al Shepard]] '''Alan Shepard'''<br />
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[[Alan Shepard]] was an American [[astronaut]], [[naval aviator]], [[test pilot]], and [[businessman]]. He was born on November 18, 1923, in [[Derry, New Hampshire]], and died on July 21, 1998, in [[Pebble Beach, California]]. Shepard was the first American to travel into space and the fifth person to walk on the [[Moon]].<br />
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== Early Life and Education ==<br />
Alan Bartlett Shepard Jr. was born to Alan B. Shepard Sr. and Pauline Renza Shepard. He attended primary school in Derry and later graduated from [[Pinkerton Academy]] in 1940. Shepard then attended the [[United States Naval Academy]] in [[Annapolis, Maryland]], where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1944.<br />
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== Naval Career ==<br />
After graduating from the Naval Academy, Shepard served on the destroyer [[USS Cogswell (DD-651)]] during [[World War II]]. He later trained as a naval aviator and became a test pilot at the [[Naval Air Station Patuxent River]] in [[Maryland]]. Shepard's skills as a pilot earned him a place in the prestigious [[U.S. Naval Test Pilot School]].<br />
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== NASA Career ==<br />
In 1959, Shepard was selected as one of the original [[Mercury Seven]] astronauts by the [[National Aeronautics and Space Administration]] ([[NASA]]). On May 5, 1961, he piloted the [[Freedom 7]] mission, becoming the first American to travel into space. The suborbital flight lasted 15 minutes and reached an altitude of 116 miles.<br />
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Shepard was later grounded due to an inner ear disorder, but he underwent surgery in 1969 and was restored to full flight status. He commanded the [[Apollo 14]] mission, which launched on January 31, 1971. During this mission, Shepard became the fifth person to walk on the Moon and famously hit two golf balls on the lunar surface.<br />
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== Post-NASA Career ==<br />
After retiring from NASA and the Navy in 1974, Shepard became a successful businessman. He served as the chairman of the board of the [[Mercury Seven Foundation]] (now the [[Astronaut Scholarship Foundation]]), which provides scholarships to students in science and engineering.<br />
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== Personal Life ==<br />
Shepard married Louise Brewer in 1945, and they had three daughters: Laura, Julie, and Alice. He was known for his competitive nature and love of sailing.<br />
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== Death and Legacy ==<br />
Alan Shepard passed away on July 21, 1998, due to complications from leukemia. He is remembered as a pioneering astronaut and a key figure in the history of space exploration. His contributions to the [[United States space program]] have left a lasting legacy.<br />
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== See Also ==<br />
* [[Mercury-Redstone 3]]<br />
* [[Apollo program]]<br />
* [[List of Apollo astronauts]]<br />
* [[NASA Astronaut Corps]]<br />
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== References ==<br />
{{Reflist}}<br />
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== External Links ==<br />
{{Commons category|Alan Shepard}}<br />
{{Wikiquote|Alan Shepard}}<br />
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[[Category:1923 births]]<br />
[[Category:1998 deaths]]<br />
[[Category:American astronauts]]<br />
[[Category:American naval aviators]]<br />
[[Category:United States Naval Academy alumni]]<br />
[[Category:People from Derry, New Hampshire]]<br />
[[Category:American test pilots]]<br />
[[Category:American businesspeople]]<br />
[[Category:NASA personnel]]<br />
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{{Mercury Seven}}<br />
{{Apollo 14}}<br />
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