International Space Day, now celebrated on the first Friday in May, was started in 2001 by astronaut (and senator) John Glenn. It was developed from the popularity of the National (US) Space Day created by Lockheed Martin for a one day event in 1997.
On May 5, 1961, Commander Alan Shepard Jr. became the first America astronaut to be launched into space, aboard Freedom 7 (space capsule). The flight, suborbital, lasted 15 minutes and traveled to a height of 116 miles.
On April 12, 1961, Yuri Gagarin, Soviet cosmonaut, was the first man launched in to space and safely returned!
Stay tuned for World Space Week in October!
Many museums hold Space Day celebrations:
Smithsonian International Air and Space Museum
Seattle Museum of Flight
Denver Museum of Nature and Science
Oregon Museum of Science and Industry
Maine Space Grant Consortium Space Day Celebration
World Space Day on FB
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