National Astronaut Day is the annual celebration in the United States that commemorates the feat of Alan Shepard - the first American to have gone to space. An observance that was initiated in 2016, National Astronaut Day 2022, will be commemorated on May 5. Every year, this day encourages more people to turn to science and space studies as viable career options. It is interesting to note that the celebration of National Astronaut Day is different from the annual observance of Astronaut's day, which falls at the end of January and is dedicated to NASA astronauts and their achievements. As we prepare to celebrate National Astronaut Day 2022, here is everything there is to know about this observance. May 2022 Holidays Calendar With Major Festivals & Events.

When is National Astronaut Day 2022?

National Astronaut Day 2022 will be celebrated on May 5. Every year, National Astronaut Day falls on May 5 since it was on this day in 1961 that astronaut Alan Shepard became the first American to be launched into space.

Significance of National Astronaut Day

National Astronaut Day celebration is crucial in helping push young people towards considering this much needed and adventure-filled career option as a compelling consideration. While the need and importance of space exploration and understanding life beyond earth continue to grow, there is a need for more people to choose this career path to help fasten the process of discoveries. And National Astronaut Day helps us inch closer in this direction.

A common way of celebrating National Astronaut Day is to visit museums and science fairs and enlighten the young people in our lives about the viable career options that being an Astronaut can be. In addition to this, it is also a day to celebrate the sheer zeal of Alan Shepard and the scientific feat that it was to launch into space in that time. Here's wishing everyone a Happy National Astronaut Day!

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 05, 2022 05:54 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).