The Most Important Events in NASA's History

Alan B. Shepard Jr. became the first American to fly into space aboard the Freedom 7 Mercury spacecraft. His voyage demonstrated that people can control a vehicle during weightlessness and high G stresses. He reached a top speed of 5,100 miles per hour, and his flight lasted 14.8 minutes.

In a speech before Congress, newly elected President John F. Kennedy committed the United States to landing a man on the moon by the end of the decade and returning him safely to Earth.

NASA successfully tested the Saturn 1 rocket — the test vehicle that paved the way for the development of the Saturn V that carried American astronauts to the moon.

John Glenn became a national hero as the first American to circle the Earth, orbiting the planet three times aboard the Friendship 7 Mercury spacecraft. In 1998, Glenn would become the oldest person to go into space at age 77.

NASA leaders settled on the method of going to the moon, with advocates for lunar-orbit rendezvous winning out over those favoring Earth-orbit rendezvous. The decision cleared the way for developing the hardware needed to accomplish the president’s goal by his timetable.