Freedom 7 managed to enter into space on May 5, 1961, but Shepard was unable to achieve orbit around Earth. However, he did fly 116 miles high before coming back down. The trip was nothing short of exhilarating for both the astronaut and the anxious engineers watching at NASA, but everyone was still well aware of the dangers space travel posed. Photo Credit: NASA / Wikimedia Commons | {{PD-USGov}}