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	Alan Shepard
	Alan Shepard was the first American to enter space.

Alan Shepard was born in New Hampshire in 1923. He attended the United States Naval Academy. After graduation, Shepard served in the Navy. During World War II, Alan Shepard worked onboard a destroyer. He was a Navy test pilot when he was chosen to be one of the first American astronauts.

On May 5, 1961 Shepard launched aboard Freedom 7. He spent only 5 minutes in space that day. He was called a hero when he returned to Earth. Shepard did not go into space again until 1971. That year, he flew aboard Apollo 14 and walked on the Moon.

Shepard was an Admiral when he retired from the Navy and the Astronaut Corps in 1974. He was a businessman at the time of his death on July 22, 1998.

A Question How many times did Alan Shepard go into space?