Freedom 7 Liftoff, First Human Spaceflight, NASA, 1961

Behold the breathtaking moment of liftoff captured in a historic photograph. Witness the Mercury-Redstone 3 (MR-3) rocket soaring into the skies above Cape Canaveral, carrying astronaut Alan B. Shepard on his groundbreaking Freedom 7 suborbital mission. This mission marked America's first human spaceflight, a momentous achievement in space exploration.

Behind this iconic launch, the brilliance of NASA research mathematician Katherine Johnson shines brightly. With her remarkable trajectory analysis, Johnson played a vital role in ensuring the success of this pioneering mission. Her groundbreaking contributions, alongside the dedicated team of scientists and engineers, propelled humanity into the realm of space.