Alan Shepard
Overview
Alan Bartlett Shepard, Jr. (November 18, 1923 – July 21, 1998) was an American naval aviator, test pilot, flag officer, and NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...

 astronaut
Astronaut
An astronaut or cosmonaut is a person trained by a human spaceflight program to command, pilot, or serve as a crew member of a spacecraft....

 who in 1961 became the second person, and the first American, in space. This Mercury flight was designed to enter space, but not to achieve orbit. Ten years later, at age 47 the oldest astronaut in the program, Shepard commanded the Apollo 14
Apollo 14
Apollo 14 was the eighth manned mission in the American Apollo program, and the third to land on the Moon. It was the last of the "H missions", targeted landings with two-day stays on the Moon with two lunar EVAs, or moonwalks....

 mission, piloting the lander to the most accurate landing of the Apollo missions.
Quotations

I know you're all saying I can go to the moon but I can't find Pasadena.

When Shepard arrived a half-hour late to a book signing of Moon Shot|Moon Shot: The Inside Story of America's Race to the Moon — reported in Sun-Sentinel wire services (June 19, 1995) "Astronaut Late to Signing", Sun-Sentinel|Sun-Sentinel, p. 2A.

There were similarities between these two incidents. The similarity was too much success ... over-confidence and complacency, quite frankly.

Discussing the Apollo 1 fire|1967 Apollo 1 fire and Space Shuttle Challenger disaster|1986 Space Shuttle Challenger disaster incidents — reported in The Deseret News staff (May 7, 1995) "Even Cosmos Is Aghast at Size of Earthly Egos", The Deseret News|The Deseret News, p. A2.

I realized up there that our planet is not infinite. It's fragile. That may not be obvious to a lot of folks, and it's tough that people are fighting each other here on Earth instead of trying to get together and live on this planet. We look pretty vulnerable in the darkness of space.

Josh Getlin, Los Angeles Times|Los Angeles Times (July 19, 1994) "What Does Moon Flight Mean Now", The Seattle Times|The Seattle Times, p. A10.

I guess those of us who have been with NASA ... kind of understand the tremendous excitement and thrills and celebrations and national pride that went with the Apollo program is just something you're not going to create again, probably until we go to Mars.

James Endrst (July 8, 1994) "It's Been 25 Years Since We Took That Giant Leap For Mankind - Moon Odyssey", The Hartford Courant|The Hartford Courant, p. B1. File:Alan B. Shepard 1970.jpg|thumb|Alan Shepard in 1970

We need a continuing presence in space.

Bill Kaczor, Associated Press|Associated Press (May 8, 1993) "Astronauts advocate return to the moon, space flights beyond", The Tampa Tribune|The Tampa Tribune, p. 7.

I think about the personal accomplishment, but there's more of a sense of the grand achievement by all the people who could put this man on the moon.

The Denver Post staff (September 29, 1992) "Shepard still shoots for moon", The Denver Post|The Denver Post, p. 1D.

I can hit it farther on the moon. But actually, my swing is better here on Earth.

The Orlando Sentinel staff (August 13, 1992) "Lunar-Golfer Shepard Takes Swings In Tourney", The Orlando Sentinel|The Orlando Sentinel, p. A2.

If we had said 30 years ago that we were going to have only two incidents with casualties, we would have thought, 'Boy, that's great. To me, that indicates that the program has really exceeded what the early expectations were.

Beth Dickey, Reuters|Reuters (May 5, 1991) "First American in Space Marks 30th Anniversary", The Commercial Appeal|The Commercial Appeal, p. A2. File:Ap14 flag.ogg|thumb|Shepard and Edgar Mitchell|Edgar Mitchell erect flag on lunar surface

No way that any astronaut worth his salt volunteered for the space program to become a hero. You don't select astronauts who want fame and fortune. You select them because they're the best test pilots in the world, they know it, and it's a personal challenge for them. And the astronauts of today are exactly the same.

Roxanne Roberts (May 4, 1991) "Blastoff to the Past - Tribute to America's First Men in Space", The Washington Post|The Washington Post, p. D1.

 
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