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Search every verified Alan Shepard interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. In a 1998 oral history interview conducted by Roy Neal for NASA's Johnson Space Center, Alan Shepard reflected on his career as an astronaut and the broader space program. Shepard described the Apollo 1 fire as a "real shock" that "really woke everybody up" and led to a "total redesign of many of the parts of the spacecraft." He noted that President John F. Kennedy's decision to go to the moon came just three weeks after Shepard's own 15-minute suborbital flight, and he credited NASA administrator James Webb with playing that decision effectively. Shepard also commented on the competitive nature of the early space program, saying the astronauts were "in a race for space with the Russians" and that the U.S. eventually "caught up and went past them." Shepard praised the NASA organization for its long-term success, stating that "the thing that impressed me the most about the whole NASA process is that it has worked so well over the years." He credited the agency's investment in computing during the 1960s as the forerunner of modern chip technology, saying "we wouldn't have advanced to the position we are today without that tremendous impetus." Shepard also discussed the Life magazine contract, calling it "ambivalent" and noting that opinion among the astronauts was divided. The interview was conducted in February 1998; Shepard died of leukemia in July of that year.
“I think that the thing that impressed me the most about the whole NASA process is that it has worked so well over the years when you take a look at a group of civilian engineers and scientists that have to work with contractors who have paid and work for somebody else that also has to work with the military because you...”
“When you take a look at the flights which are being made at the performance of the crews, the number of delays because of mechanical problems and that sort of thing, using these criteria I would say they're running a good ship. I would say they're running a successful program.”
“I think that certainly there was need for coordination, it was need for representation at executive level. Other chaps could have done the job perhaps equally as well or perhaps even better but it seemed like we turned out some pretty good crews.”
“The Apollo 1 fire really woke everybody up and was important because to lose a crew in a ground test, I mean they were still sitting there on the ground. It came as a real shock and it resulted in the total redesign of many of the parts of the spacecraft and contributed to what was a very highly successful series of fl...”
“Jack Kennedy made the decision to go to the moon after we only had 15 minutes of total space flight time. That is true. Just three weeks after my mission, he made his announcement that we are going to the moon and we're going to do it within this decade.”
“The whole game was totally competitive not alone among the seven astronauts but you were in a race for space with the Russians and they kind of beat you to the punch. Their objectives and capabilities for orbital flight were greater than ours at that particular point. We eventually caught up and went past them.”
“There have been some heated discussions between the advantages of manned space flight and unmanned space flight because there are parts of NASA totally dedicated to unmanned space flight. There have been noted differences of opinion between engineers who would like to automate everything and leave the pilots out, but i...”
“Jim Webb was a fresh breath when he came along. He knew all the ins and outs of Washington, knew which chords to play. He wasn't a lobbyist but he had a great package, men in space, and he played it well. He did us a great favor, certainly responding so quickly and rapidly to Kennedy's surprising decision to go to the...”
“I think that the computers which took us to the moon and back were the forerunners of today's chips and today's technology. Because of the money and effort NASA spent back in the 60s, we wouldn't have advanced to the position we are today without that tremendous impetus.”
“The Life magazine contract was ambivalent. At first it was attractive because it provided controlled access to the press, especially on personal things. But then criticism came about the amount of money involved. About half the people thought it was a good deal and half thought it was a bad deal.”
On february 2nd, 1998 Alan Shepard was interviewed for the NASA Johnson Space Center Oral History Project by Roy Neal.
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