On this day in 1962, high above Earth, America reached a milestone in its quest to inherit the stars. As the pilot of NASA’s premier orbital mission, Mercury-Atlas 6, John Glenn felt not just the pressure of his nation on his shoulders, but also that of the entire world.
The launch itself was plagued with eleven delays during the countdown, most of which followed Glenn into space. At 9:47 AM, the Friendship 7 spacecraft launched from Cape Canaveral in Florida, hurtling upwards at speeds exceeding 17,000 miles per hour. Nevertheless, Glenn maintained composure throughout the ordeal, and he solo orbited the planet three times.
The most daunting moment of the mission came when it appeared the heat shield could break loose, thus possibly incinerating Glenn and his spacecraft upon re-entry. Yet, even when faced with this horrifying possibility, Glenn trusted his control team and completed the mission. He safely splashed down in the Atlantic, with the USS Noa coming to retrieve him.
The significance of the Mercury-Atlas 6 mission was hard to articulate. America was locked in the Space Race with the Soviet Union. By completing his orbits, Glenn took the first step for the United States towards space dominance. The mission allowed for advancements that would eventually lead to the Apollo 11 spaceflight— the first time humanity made contact with the moon.
John Glenn was welcomed home as a national hero, receiving praise from John F. Kennedy and parades were thrown in his honor. He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2012 and the Congressional Gold Medal in 2011 for his contributions to the country, science and humanity.
Until his final hour, John Glenn remained one of America’s most treasured pioneers. His unbelievable feats were contrasted by his humble nature which famously rebuffed most of the limelight afforded by his feats. Despite the division of the Cold War, Glenn’s mission proved that human connection triumphs over all.
“If I can inspire young people to dedicate themselves to the good of mankind,” he said, “then I’ve accomplished something.”
