Question 1

True or false: Shepard's first words on the Moon were 'That's one small step for man.'

Accepted Answer

False. That was Neil Armstrong. Shepard's first lunar words were: 'It's been a long way, but we're here.'

Question 2

True or false: Alan Shepard was the first American in space, but not the first human in space.

Accepted Answer

True. Shepard's 1961 Mercury flight came after Yuri Gagarin's orbital mission. Shepard's was suborbital, lasting only 15 minutes.

Question 3

True or false: Alan Shepard hit a golf ball on the Moon during the Apollo 14 mission.

Accepted Answer

True. He smuggled a golf club head and balls aboard Apollo 14, hitting two shots in 1971. The first ball went about 200 yards.

Question 4

True or false: Alan Shepard was the only Mercury astronaut to later walk on the Moon.

Accepted Answer

True. Of the original Mercury Seven, only Shepard (Apollo 14) landed on the Moon. Others flew but never walked on it.

Question 5

True or false: Shepard piloted the Apollo 11 lunar module to a successful landing.

Accepted Answer

False. He commanded Apollo 14, not 11. Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed Apollo 11. Shepard landed on Apollo 14.

Question 6

True or false: Alan Shepard was the first astronaut to fly in space twice.

Accepted Answer

False. Gus Grissom flew twice before Shepard's second flight. Shepard's second mission was Apollo 14 in 1971.

Question 7

True or false: Alan Shepard was the oldest person to walk on the Moon at age 47.

Accepted Answer

False. He was 47 on Apollo 14, but the oldest was Harrison Schmitt (age 47 on Apollo 17), and Shepard's age is often overstated.

Question 8

True or false: Shepard suffered from Ménière's disease and sat out most of the Gemini program.

Accepted Answer

True. Diagnosed in 1963, inner-ear issues grounded him until surgery in 1968. He then commanded Apollo 14.

Alan Shepard Trivia Questions