Cadet Competition Written Practice Exam

In 1961, the first American to go into space was ______.

1. Neil Armstrong

2. Buzz Aldrin

3. Alan Shepard

4. John Glenn

The correct answer is: Alan Shepard

The first American to go into space was Alan Shepard. On May 5, 1961, Shepard made his historic flight aboard the Freedom 7 spacecraft during NASA's Mercury program, reaching an altitude of 116.5 kilometers (approximately 72 miles) before safely returning to Earth. This mission was a significant milestone in the early stages of the U.S. space program and helped to establish America’s presence in the space race. Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin are notable for their contributions to space exploration, particularly during the Apollo missions; Armstrong was the first person to walk on the Moon in 1969, and Aldrin followed him shortly after. John Glenn, on the other hand, became the first American to orbit the Earth in 1962, which came after Shepard's flight. Therefore, while all these individuals are significant figures in American space history, Alan Shepard holds the distinction of being the first American in space.