Spaceman Alan

It was 9:34 (EST) in the morning on 5 May 1961 when Alan, strapped to his seat on board Freedom 7, blasted off for a 15 minute, 28 second suborbital flight above Earth. The flight carried Alan to an altitude of 116 statute miles above our home globe.

After splashing down to Earth, Alan was met with fanfare and even received a personal phone call from President Kennedy who had watched Alan's flight on television. The "Kennedy Call" would become a tradition for all manned Mercury flights.

After medical tests and debriefings Alan was found to be in excellent shape, which meant that future manned flights could take place without fear. A few days later President Kennedy presented Alan with the NASA Distinguished Service Award.

Take a look at the following images which chronicle Alan Shepard's flight and return to Earth. (10 Images total):

Left: Alan Shepard was the second human -- and first American -- to fly in space. Shepard later commanded the Apollo 14 mission and is one of only 12 people who have walked on the Moon. Right:Inside the Capsule: Alan Shepard in the cramped Freedom 7 capsule before he became the first American in space.

Light the Candle: Astronaut Alan Shepard is hurled into space atop a Mercury-Redstone rocket.

View from Above: Mercury-Redstone 3 (MR-3) flight Earth observations of a cloudy Earth.

After observing the Earth from his suborbital view Alan within his capsule splashed down into the Atlantic Ocean. A U.S. Marine helicopter retrieved Alan and the Freedom 7 capsule.

Shepard Completes His Mission: Alan is shown being hoisted aboard a U.S. Marine helicopter after splashdown.

Crew members of the U.S. Navy Carrier Champlain cheer and take pictures of the arrival of Alan Shepard.

Astronaut Alan Shepard arrives at Grand Bahamas Island and is greeted by Astronauts Virgil I. (Gus) Grissom (right) and Donald Slayton (left) and also by Keith Lindell (between Shepard and Grissom) after the first American suborbital flight. Shepard participated in a press conference with Grissom and Slayton.

Astronaut Alan B. Shepard receives the NASA Distinguished Service Award from President John F. Kennedy in May 1961, just days after his history making space-flight. Shepard's wife and mother are on the left and six other Mercury astronauts are in the background. How many can you identify?

The Alan Shepard Stamp celebrating Alan's flight and momentous event in history is available beginning 4 May 2011.

• Shepard's Ride: A history of Alan's Shepard's flight
• NASA bio on Alan Shepard