January 29, 2024
On this day in 1959, Alan Shepard wrote a letter to his mother and father describing the possibility of his joining the “Man in Space” program. He states that he will be driving to Washington that afternoon for a briefing on the matter. He closes the letter by asking them to not make any announcements or statements regarding his role in the program. – Letters of Note: Outer Space, Shaun Usher, pg. 56.
Alan Shepard in the Freedom 7 Capsule before launch (left) and Alan Shepard on the lunar surface as part of Apollo 14 (right). Image credit: NASA.
