Life Magazine for May 12, 1961, "'AOK!' The U.S. is in Space"

01

Artifact Overview

President John F. Kennedy's vision to explore the "new frontier" of space was an overt Cold War strategy against the Soviet Union which launched the first man in space April 12, 1961. This cover story featured the first U.S astronaut in space, Alan Shepard. His Freedom 7 capsule reached 116.5 miles above the earth before splashing down on May 5, 1961.

Artifact Details

Artifact

Magazine (Periodical)

Date Made

12 May 1961

Subject Date

05 May 1961

Creator Notes

Cover photograph by Dean Conger for NASA, the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Published by Time Inc., Chicago, Illinois.

Location

By Request in the Benson Ford Research Center

Object ID

2013.50.10

Credit

From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of the Estate of Dr. and Mrs. Martin A. Glynn.

Material

Paper (Fiber product)

Color

Multicolored

Dimensions

Height: 13.75 in
Width: 10.5 in

Inscriptions

Text on front cover: LIFE / 'AOK!' THE U.S. / IS IN SPACE / Exclusive: Mrs. Shepard's Story / Success! Alan Shepard / is Hauled into Copter
Life Magazine for May 12, 1961, "'AOK!' The U.S. is in Space"