Today in History - May 5, 1961 First American in Space

[WildBill]

Today in History - May 5, 1961 First American in Space

The 50th anniversary of the first American in space. On May 5, 1961, Alan B. Shepard, Jr. launched in a Freedom 7 capsule powered by a Redstone booster, which came to be known as the Mercury-Redstone 3.

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2384933,00.asp" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nati ... 1015.story" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[RoyGBiv]

An American reason to celebrate Cinco de Mayo...

Thanks for the reminder.

[seamusTX]

Cinco de Mayo is a very minor Mexican holiday, probably about the same as commemorating the Battle of Bunker Hill in the U.S. (Quick, without looking at "the book," where and when did the Battle of Bunker Hill take place, and who won it?)

Cinco de Mayo has been blown up in the U.S. as a commercial holiday, rather like the nonsense that is trotted out every year for St. Patrick's Day.

However, during the U.S. War Between the States, the Mexicans fought an invasion by the French, British, and Spanish, who wanted to set up a European-ruled monarchy in Mexico. The U.S. really did not need a European power base on the southern border at that time (or ever).

(Also, the last time I checked, Mexico was in North America. )

As for the historic space milestone, I've said previously, centuries from now, people will remember nothing about the 20th century except the fact that we got into space, and possibly the development of nuclear energy. All the wars, politicians, dictators, scandals, and celebrity garbage will be as forgotten as the events of the 16th century are now.

- Jim

[longtooth]

I remember watching it on a black & white in the 5th grade.

[WildBill]

I remember watching it on a black & white in the 5th grade.

Y'all must have been poor. I watched it on my flatscreen HDTV satellite TV.

[74novaman]

If anyone has netflix, the move "The Right Stuff" chronicling the first astronauts is on streaming. I recommend it.

[WildBill]

If anyone has netflix, the move "The Right Stuff" chronicling the first astronauts is on streaming. I recommend it.

I've got it on DVD. Great book too!

[Jasonw560]

(Quick, without looking at "the book," where and when did the Battle of Bunker Hill take place, and who won it?)

Boston. Breeder Hill or something like that. And the Limeys won.

[WildBill]

Here are a couple of links to the NASA website:

http://www.nasa.gov/externalflash/alan_ ... ccess.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.nasa.gov/externalflash/shepa ... l_hist.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Charles L. Cotton]

I remember watching it on a black & white in the 5th grade.

Me too, except I was the 6th grade and Mom and Dad had me stay home to watch it. I thought I had a day off, then about 20 minutes after launch it was over.

Chas.

[Keith B]

I remember watching it on a black & white in the 5th grade.

Me too, except I was the 6th grade and Mom and Dad had me stay home to watch it. I thought I had a day off, then about 20 minutes after launch it was over.

Chas.

Charles, did they give you a countdown as they lit your bottom to blast you out the door to school??

I may have watched it, but I was too young at just a little over 1 year old to remember.

[i8godzilla]

Growing up in Titusville, FL as the son of a aerospace engineer, astronauts were our heroes (not sports figures).

The Right Stuff (book and movie) is one of my all time favorites.

Here are the Original Seven. You will notice that money was tight back then also. Look at the silver painted boots.

[WildBill]

Growing up in Titusville, FL as the son of a aerospace engineer, astronauts were our heroes (not sports figures). You will notice that money was tight back then also. Look at the silver painted boots.

I have seen that photo many times. I never looked that close at the boots.

I don't know if anyone actually said it, but I liked the quote from the movie "No Bucks. No Buck Rogers."

[seamusTX]

Why do "space men" wear boots, anyway?

They weren't going for a walk, and if they got out of the capsule, it would be in the ocean.

I always wondered the same thing about Star Trek and Star Wars. Most of the men wore boots, sometimes actual riding or motorcycle boots. Is Capt. Kirk going to jump on a horse?

- Jim

[WildBill]

Why do "space men" wear boots, anyway? - Jim

On the moon walks they wore boots so that they could lace them up to get a vacuum tight seal. The same could be asked about their helmets. As long as the cabin [space craft] remains pressurized they are fine. If there is a leak, they are hosed. James Kirk and the other guys wore them cuz they looked cool and high tech.