On May 5, 1961, Alan Shepard became the first American to travel into space aboard Freedom 7, a suborbital flight that lasted only 15 minutes. Shepards mission was a significant milestone in the space race between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. Though his flight was brief, it demonstrated the U.S.s capability for human space travel. Shepards achievement sparked national pride and set the stage for future space explorations. His later journey to the moon further cemented his place in space history.