1950s-70s Space Race to The Moon: 1961-05-05 USA Mercury Redstone MR-3 (Freedom 7)

SpaceCraft Swanson cover, only 300 were produced and individually numbered at the back of the cover. This is a limited edition of the Project Mercury commemorative "Space Craft" cover with a Carl Swanson cachet honoring "Freedom 7" and astronaut Alan Shepard as the first US astronaut in space. Postmarked at Patrick Air Force Base, May 5, 1961, and signed in black ink, "Alan Shepard, MR3 Pilot". This cover is number 30 of 300 (stated on the reverse). - RRAuction

Project Mercury was the first U.S. program for human spaceflight. It ran from 1959 through 1963, with the objectives of putting a manned spacecraft in orbit around the Earth, investigate man's ability to function in space, and to recover both man and spacecraft safely on return to Earth.

Photo: The Mercury Seven astronauts.

Photo: Alan Shepard learning how to operate the hand controls to be used in the space capsule. A couch such as this, contoured to the body, has enabled men to withstand accelerations up to twenty times gravity, considerably more than those expected in space flight.

Photo: "A Mercury capsule was fastened to a Redstone booster rocket on the third level of the Redstone gantry at Cape Canaveral, Fla. The national aeronautics and space administration plans a suborbital manned launching of Project Mercury sometime this week. According to plans, the capsule containing the astronaut will make a ballistic arc flight over a 250 nautical mile range, with a peak altitude of 115 statute miles. AP Wirephotos. April 29, 1961."

Photo: The interior of the MR-3 space capsule.

On May 5, 1961, Alan Shepard became the first American astronaut in space when he rode his Mercury spacecraft, "Freedom 7", to perform a sub-orbital flight mission known as Mercury-Redstone 3 (MR-3). Shepard's 15-minutes flight did not orbit Earth; it simply went up and down, attained an altitude of just over 187 km. Shepard's 15 minutes flight traveled more than 300 miles from Cape Canaveral, Florida, landed in the Atlantic Ocean near the Grand Bahamas where he was picked up by the aircraft carrier Lake Champlain.

Mercury-Redstone 3 ("Freedom 7") Signed Launch Cover. A "SpaceCraft" printed cachet cover with a 7¢ Airmail stamp affixed, bearing a Patrick Air Force Base cancellation dated May 5, 1961, the day of this historic mission. It features a "Man-in-Space/ Mission of Project Mercury" illustrated cachet. Signed by Alan Shepard. From Steven R. Belasco Collection of Space Memorabilia. - Heritage Auctions

Photo: Electrodes, attached to Alan Shepard, record his body functions during the space flight.

Photo: Alan Shepard suited up in his space suit, preparing for the first American ride in space, May 5, 1961.

A "Space Craft" printed cachet cover cancelled at Port Canaveral on May 5, 1961, signed by Alan Shepard in blue ink. From the Family Collection of Astronaut Richard Gordon. - Heritage Auction

Photo: Gus Grissom looks into the periscope of the "Freedom 7", to give Alan Shepard a look at him.

Photo: "Freedom 7" sealed before the launch.

Photo: Communication and tracking of Alan Shepard's flight.

A launch day Goldcraft cachet cover honoring the path of Shepard's historic flight aboard the Freedom 7, postmarked May 5, 1961, and signed by Alan Shepard in blue ballpoint. - RRAuction

Photo: Alan Shepard hoisted from his space capsule after it landed in the Atlantic ocean.

Photo: Alan Shepard alighting from helicopter aboard the USS Lake Champlain carrier.

USS Lake Champlain was the prime recovery ship for America's first manned space flight. Signed by Alan Shepard and NASA Public Affairs Officer Alfred P. Alibrando.

Photo: "Freedom 7" capsule lowered onto the deck of USS Lake Champlain by the recovery helicopters.

Photo: "America's first space man, Alan Shepard, jr., looked back into his space capsule aboard the carrier Lake Champlain. He and the capsule were lifted from the Atlantic Friday after the flight. AP Wirephoto. May 5, 1961."