On May 5, 1961, astronaut Alan Shepard made history as the first American in outer space aboard the Freedom 7 spacecraft. Better known as Project Mercury, it paved the way for future space missions, including the Apollo moon landings.

This postage stamp was released a year later in 1962, commemorating Project Mercury, the first U.S. manned spaceflight program. On it shows the Mercury capsule that carried Shepard in a 15 minute sub orbital flight and safely returned him to Earth, proving that manned space flight was possible.

While in orbit, he took photos of the Atlantic Ocean, and made observations of the Earth from a view that only one other human had witnessed at that time.

This stamp not only celebrates Shepard’s bravery, but also symbolizes humanity’s quest to reach beyond the stars. Collecting stamps like this is a great way to explore the people and events of our past.