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
50 years ago we were competing with the russians, now we are working together (my 2 favorite countries) :D
Quote from: Abdomina on May 05, 2011, 10:14:50 PM
50 years ago we were competing with the russians, now we are working together (my 2 favorite countries) :D
Yes. We are standing down our space vehicle while using theirs and while they jack up the prices.