February 20, 1962: John Glenn became the first American to orbit the Earth, aboard Friendship 7, on the Mercury-Atlas 6 mission, circling the globe three times during a flight lasting 4 hours, 55 minutes, and 23 seconds. This made Glenn the third American in space and the fifth human being in space.February 20, 1962: John Glenn became the first American to orbit the Earth, aboard Friendship 7, on the Mercury-Atlas 6 mission, circling the globe three times during a flight lasting 4 hours, 55 minutes, and 23 seconds. This made Glenn the third American in space and the fifth human being in space.
February 20, 1962: John Glenn became the first American to orbit the Earth, aboard Friendship 7, on the Mercury-Atlas 6 mission, circling the globe three times during a flight lasting 4 hours, 55 minutes, and 23 seconds. This made Glenn the third American in space and the fifth human being in space.