July 21, 1998: Alan Shepard dies

Today in the history of astronomy, America’s first man in space passes away.
By | Published: July 21, 2025

The first American in space and the oldest astronaut at the time of his Apollo 14 flight, Alan Shepard was also the only person to play golf on the Moon. Credit: NASA

Key Takeaways:

  • Alan Shepard was a Navy pilot who became one of NASA's first astronauts.
  • He was the first American in space.
  • He later commanded the Apollo 14 mission, landing on the Moon.
  • He famously played golf on the Moon.
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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 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.

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