Mercury-Atlas 6
AgencyNASA
Year1962
TypeEarth orbit
RocketAtlas LV-3B
CountryUSA
About the Mission
John Glenn became the first American to orbit Earth on February 20, 1962. Completed three orbits in 4 hours 55 minutes. A faulty signal suggested the heat shield was loose, causing tense reentry. He returned to space aboard Discovery in 1998 at age 77, the oldest astronaut.
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