Fifty one years ago today, NASA held a Press Conference and the guest of honor was Alan B. Shepard, whose spaceflight on May 5th 1961, made history as the first U.S. Astronaut in Space.

A momentous occasion and a huge boost in our sagging morale, after hearing of the Soviet launch of Yuri Gagarin into space earlier. The Cold War period Space Race was on and there was determination to get to the moon before 1970.

Here is that Press Conference complete, as broadcast over CBS Radio on May 8th 1961.

This day 50 years ago the Space Race heated up. Hot on the heels of the Soviet accomplishment, sending their first astronaut (Cosmonaut) Yuri Gagarin into space in April, America quickly followed suit by sending Alan Shepard, America's first astronaut into space.

Here is the sound of the launch from May 5, 1961 and the first Press Conference Shepard delivered on May 8th where he recapped the flight to an overflow crowd of reporters.

A large page of history was made on this day and space became the biggest thing on peoples minds.

. . .and if you don't mind . .