Astronomy Picture of the Day ·

Alan B. Shepard Jr. 1923-1998

The Astronomy Picture of the Day for July 24, 1998 is “Alan B. Shepard Jr. 1923-1998,” an image. It is credited to Credit: Project Mercury, NASA. The original explanation runs about 169 words.

Alan B. Shepard Jr. 1923-1998
Credit: Project Mercury, NASA Shown from science.nasa.gov. Not hosted by OpenOrbit.

From the 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.”

— APOD editors, July 24, 1998

Read the full explanation on science.nasa.gov

At a glance

Date
July 24, 1998
Type
Image
Credit
Credit: Project Mercury, NASA
Copyright
No copyright notice on the entry. Check the credited institution’s own usage rules before reusing it.
Explanation length
About 169 words

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Source

Copy taken Oct 28, 2026, 2:39 AM EDT. The image and explanation belong to their creators. OpenOrbit is not affiliated with or endorsed by NASA.