Shepard and the capsule were picked up by helicopter and brought to U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Lake Champlain….Mercury-Redstone 3.

USS Noa

The Mercury spacecraft, named Friendship 7, was carried to orbit by an Atlas LV-3B launch vehicle lifting off from Launch Complex 14 at Cape Canaveral, Florida. After three orbits, the spacecraft re-entered the Earth’s atmosphere, splashed down in the North Atlantic Ocean, and was safely taken aboard USS Noa.

Liberty Bell 7 sank soon after splashing down with Grissom. The explosive bolts that blow open the hatch detonated prematurely, and the spacecraft filled with water. A helicopter tried to pull it out, but finally had to let go.

The Mercury Seven created a new profession in the United States, and established the image of the American astronaut for decades to come. All of the Mercury Seven eventually flew in space. Shepard became the first American to enter space in 1961, and later walked on the Moon on Apollo 14 in 1971.

about 250 miles

In all, three members of the Mercury 7 also flew in the Gemini program and three were part of Apollo missions, with Shepard setting foot on the moon. Glenn’s return to space came 36 years after his first flight. He lifted off aboard space shuttle Discovery for mission STS-95 in 1998.

Walter “Wally” Schirra

Walter “Wally” Schirra was the only one of his fellow astronauts to fly in three NASA programs: Mercury, Gemini and Apollo.

Neil Armstrong was a NASA astronaut most famous for being the first person to walk on the moon, on July 20, 1969.

The story behind one of the film’s most emotional moments As he arrives on the moon, it’s revealed that Armstrong has brought his daughter’s bracelet with him, the same one he’s seen holding at various points throughout the film.