50 Years of Spaceflight
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Shepard’s Shot
The first American spaceflight was a triumph—for an astronaut and for a nation.
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First Up?
Even before NASA was created, civilian and military labs were in search of astronauts.
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Saint Yuri
The Russians made their first cosmonaut a hero. Did they really know him?
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How the Spaceship Got Its Shape
In the 1950s Harvey Allen solved the problem of atmospheric entry. But first he had to convince his colleagues.
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The Seven
In 1959, a group of military pilots became Astronaut Heroes overnight, and created an American icon that survives to this day.
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Light This Candle
Alan Shepard was brave enough to ride the Mercury-Redstone rocket. These guys were brave enough to launch it.
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Flying the Gusmobile
It didn't look remotely like a fighter plane. So why did astronauts who flew the Gemini spacecraft compare it to one?
