Souvenir Card, Astronaut Alan Shepard Receiving Distinguished Service Medal from President Kennedy, 1961

01

Artifact Overview

President John F. Kennedy's vision to explore the "new frontier" of space ignited the public's imagination. It was an overt Cold War strategy against the Soviet Union which launched the first man in space April 12, 1961. Here, President Kennedy awards NASA's Distinguished Service Medal to first U.S. astronaut, Alan Shepard, three days after his successful space flight on May 5, 1961.

Artifact Details

Artifact

Card (Information artifact)

Date Made

1961-1964

Subject Date

08 May 1961

Location

By Request in the Benson Ford Research Center

Object ID

2013.54.1

Credit

From the Collections of The Henry Ford.

Material

Paper (Fiber product)

Technique

Rotogravure

Color

Black-and-white (Colors)

Dimensions

Height: 3.5 in
Width: 5.75 in

Inscriptions

Text on back of print: President Kennedy pins NASA's / Distinguished Service Medal on America's / First astronaut Cmdr. Alan B. / Shepard, Jr. in ceremonies at the White / House. Behind the hero are his wife, / Louise, and father, Alan, Sr.
Souvenir Card, Astronaut Alan Shepard Receiving Distinguished Service Medal from President Kennedy, 1961