Encarta Online Concise - Shepard, Alan Bartlett, Jr (1923-1998), United States astronaut, born in East Derry, New Hampshire. Shepard was one of the first seven astronauts and the first American in space.

1923-1998, American astronaut, b. East Derry, N.H., grad. Annapolis, 1944. He served on a destroyer during World War II and later had extensive experience as a test pilot. On May 5, 1961, under the U.S. space program Project Mercury, he became the first American to be launched into space.

Encyclopedia.com - 1923-1998, American astronaut; b. East Derry, N.H. He was the first American to be launched into space. On May 5, 1961, Shepard in Freedom 7 (Mercury-Redstone 3) made a 15-min suborbital flight down the Atlantic missile range. While commanding the Apollo 14 lunar-landing mission (Jan. 31-Feb. 9, 1971), he became the fifth person to walk on the moon. He retired (1974) from NASA and the U.S. navy (as a rear admiral).