50th Anniversary of First Manned US Spaceflight

[sardak]

Today, May 5, 2011, marks the 50th anniversary of the first US manned spaceflight.  Alan Shepard was launched in the Mercury capsule "Freedom 7" atop a Redstone rocket. This was three weeks after the first manned spaceflight, that of Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin, on April 12, 1961.

http://www.nasa.gov/topics/history/features/50_freedom7.html

Now, we are just two launches away from the last US manned spaceflight until who knows when. Our Russian friends will continue to give us a lift to orbit, though.

Mike

[Abdomina]

50 years ago we were competing with the russians, now we are working together (my 2 favorite countries)

[JC004]

50 years ago we were competing with the russians, now we are working together (my 2 favorite countries)

Yes.  We are standing down our space vehicle while using theirs and while they jack up the prices.