The First American in Space AMERICA’S JOURNEY TO ORBIT EARTH
On May 5, 1961, Alan B. Shepard became the first American to enter space on a Mercury capsule named Freedom 7. It was an incredibly momentous event, but what all had to occur for it to even happen? Let’s take a look at what led up to Shepard’s launch into space. During the 1960s, the U.S. and the Soviet Union found themselves in a space race. The United States first began their space mission in 1958 with Project Mercury. Project Mercury had three goals in mind: orbiting a crewed spacecraft, investigating the ability to function in space, and safely recovering the spacecraft and the crew.
needed to adjust and modify to be safely launched into space. The first successful launch of Mercury without an astronaut occurred in December 1960. But before they attempted to launch an American into space, NASA tested the Mercury capsule in January 1961 with a chimpanzee named Ham, who took a route that was similar to the one Shepard would eventually take. After going through numerous simulations, NASA decided that Shepard would be making the first flight. He began his mission on May 5 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, and over half a million Americans watched the launch on nearby beaches. Shepard took his orbit around the Earth and made a successful return. He then received NASA’s highest
reward, the Distinguished Service Medal, from President John F. Kennedy on May 8, 1961. Although the Soviet Union sent the first human into orbit in April 1961, this didn’t stop the U.S. from pushing forward. Instead, the bravery of these men inspired the U.S. to go to new heights and have the first man on the moon in 1969. There are still ongoing debates about whether the U.S. or the USSR won the space race. Either way, this race allowed the world to conduct more research on our galaxy. As a whole, this event led to tremendous efforts to push the limits of human capabilities, create new technology to explore outer space, and see what our universe holds.
Before the first American took flight, the U.S. conducted several test launches to see what they
Uninsured and Underinsured Coverage
What’s the Difference?
If you find yourself in a car accident, you will exchange information with the other driver and inform your insurance provider about the accident. But what if you’re in an accident with someone who doesn’t have enough insurance coverage — or even no insurance at all? Are you out of luck? You can protect yourself from this scenario if you have uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage. Here is everything you need to know about this coverage that can help you if you’re ever in a car accident. Uninsured Motorist (UM) Coverage Let’s say you’ve been in an accident, and the at-fault driver’s insurance has expired, or they never had insurance. That driver is considered an “uninsured” driver. When making a claim, your insurance provider will mark the fault driver down as a UM.
What if a driver hits your car, and they drive off without giving you a chance to get their license plate number? Uninsured coverage covers hit-and-run accidents as well. Your insurance company will honor your claim as though the other party didn’t have insurance. Underinsured Motorist (UIM) Coverage Now, let’s look at if you or a passenger receive injuries from an accident, and the at-fault driver’s insurance cannot cover the value of the injuries. This person would be considered an “underinsured” driver. For example, if you were injured in an accident and the at-fault driver has the minimum state policy limit of $20,000, you would only be able to collect that much money from the accident even if your damages cost more. But if you purchased UIM coverage, you could collect the
additional money to cover your injuries and damages. UM and UIM Coverage Cost Although it may seem like this form of coverage would be expensive, it’s not! A few extra dollars a month will give you both. In addition, it covers your car and one you’re driving even if you don’t own it. Likewise, it protects you if you’re a pedestrian and covers your household members. Insurance coverage provides peace of mind and can protect you from negligent drivers. If you or a loved one have been in an accident and received an injury, allow your friends at Brooks and Crowley to assist you. We will be happy to look at your claim and see how we can get you the compensation you deserve.
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