The Naval Academy is proud to have graduated a number of women and men that later traveled into space. One of the most well-known Naval Academy graduates is Alan Bartlett (B.) Shepard Jr., the first American astronaut to do so. While his flight was 23 days after the Russian cosmonaut, Yuri Gagarin’s flight, it was remarkable since Shepard was able to pilot his rocket, whereas Gagarin was just a passenger on his voyage—and while the Russian launch was shrouded in secrecy, Shepard’s flight, successful splashdown and retrieval by helicopter and aircraft carrier were watched live by millions around the world and gleefully celebrated with parades and accolades across the U.S.
