Astronomy Picture of the Day

Explanation: On another Friday (May 5, 1961), at the dawn of the space age, NASA controllers "lit the candle" and sent Alan B. Shepard Jr. arcing into space atop a Redstone rocket. The picture shows the pressure-suited Shepard before the launch in his cramped space capsule dubbed "Freedom 7" . This historic flight - the first spaceflight by an American - made Shepard a national hero. Born in East Derry, New Hampshire on November 18, 1923, Shepard graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1944 and went on to train and serve as a Naval Aviator. Chosen as one of the original seven Mercury Program astronauts, he considered this first flight the greatest challenge and actively sought the assignment. Shepard's accomplishments in his career as an astronaut spanned a remarkable period in human achievement and in 1972 he walked on the moon as commander of the Apollo 14 mission. A true pioneer and intrepid explorer, Alan Shepard died Tuesday at age 74 after a lengthy illness.

在另一個星期五（1961年5月5日），於太空時代的黎明之時，美國航太總署的航管人員 點燃紅石火箭把太空人薛波送入太空。 這幅影像是薛波身著加壓的太空裝，發射前擠身在自由七號太空艙內的情景。 這次歷史性的飛行是美國首次把太空人送進太空，更讓薛波成為國家英雄。 1923年11月18日薛波出生在新罕布什爾州的東德里，1944年畢業於美國海軍學院，隨後接受訓練並擔任海軍飛行員。 他獲選為最初的七名水星計畫太空人之一，他認為這次首次飛行是個極大的挑戰，並主動請纓參與此項任務。 薛波在太空人生涯所獲得的成就，橫跨人類成就非凡的時期，1972年他以阿波羅14號任務指揮官的身份在月球上漫步。 先驅和無畏探索者艾倫．薛波，於星期二在久病後去世，享年74歲。