|NASA Logo                       | A Major Achievement and a Sign of More to Come: The 40th Anniversary of the Friendship 7 mission                                                                                                                                                                             | A Major Achievement and a Sign of More to Come: The 40th Anniversary of the Friendship 7 mission | A Major Achievement and a Sign of More to Come: The 40th Anniversary of the Friendship 7 mission                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |  |                                                                                                                                   |  |                                                                                                                                                       | 
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|John Glenn Memorabilia Pictures | John Glenn Memorabilia Pictures                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              | John Glenn Memorabilia Pictures                                                                  | John Glenn Memorabilia Pictures                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 
|John H. Glenn in space suite    | John H. Glenn in space suite                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |                                                                                                  | PHOTOS: To view the full caption and get 

              a high-resolution version, click on the thumbnail.Mercury-Redstone 3, the first piloted Mercury flight, rocket in 

              flight configuration test to evaluate astronaut escape feasibility.

          

          Boilerplate Mercury spacecraft being manufactured in-house by 

              NASA Langley technicians.

          

          Basic diagrams of the Mercury spacecraft and rocket configuration.

          

          The Mercury-Atlas rocket for the Friendship 7 mission lifts off, 

              carrying John H. Glenn, Jr., into orbit.Astronaut John H. Glenn, Jr., dons his silver Mercury pressure 

              suit in preparation for launch.

          

          Glenn in his silver Mercury spacesuit during preflight training 

              exercises at Cape Canaveral.

          

          Glenn suited up.

          

          Glenn and his wife, Annie, join Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson 

              for a parade after his historic flight.Glenn meets President John F. Kennedy after his flight.

          

          Glenn enters the Friendship 7 spacecraft before launch on February 

              20, 1962.

          

          Glenn receives a medal from President Kennedy.

          

          Launch of Freedom 7, the first American human spaceflight mission. 

              Astronaut Alan Shepard flew on a suborbital lob on May 5, 1961.Prelaunch test of the later Mercury-Atlas 9 (MA9) on Launch Pad 

              14 at Cape Canaveral, Florida.

          

          The original Mercury 7 astronauts, whose selection was announced 

              on April 9, 1959.

          

          The Freedom 7 spacecraft on the launch pad for the Mercury-Redstone 

              3 first American human spaceflight mission.

          

          A Mercury capsule complete in a hangar at what is now NASAs 

              Glenn Research Center in Cleveland. |  | PHOTOS: To view the full caption and get 

              a high-resolution version, click on the thumbnail.                     |  | Mercury-Redstone 3, the first piloted Mercury flight, rocket in 

              flight configuration test to evaluate astronaut escape feasibility. | 
|John H. Glenn in space suite   
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|                                | PHOTOS: To view the full caption and get 

              a high-resolution version, click on the thumbnail.                                                                                                                                                               
|                                | Mercury-Redstone 3, the first piloted Mercury flight, rocket in 

              flight configuration test to evaluate astronaut escape feasibility.                                                                                                                        |                                                                                                  | Boilerplate Mercury spacecraft being manufactured in-house by 

              NASA Langley technicians.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |  | Basic diagrams of the Mercury spacecraft and rocket configuration.                                                                |  | The Mercury-Atlas rocket for the Friendship 7 mission lifts off, 

              carrying John H. Glenn, Jr., into orbit.                          
|                                | Astronaut John H. Glenn, Jr., dons his silver Mercury pressure 

              suit in preparation for launch.                                                                                                                                                             |                                                                                                  | Glenn in his silver Mercury spacesuit during preflight training 

              exercises at Cape Canaveral.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |  | Glenn suited up.                                                                                                                  |  | Glenn and his wife, Annie, join Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson 

              for a parade after his historic flight.                           
|                                | Glenn meets President John F. Kennedy after his flight.                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |                                                                                                  | Glenn enters the Friendship 7 spacecraft before launch on February 

              20, 1962.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |  | Glenn receives a medal from President Kennedy.                                                                                    |  | Launch of Freedom 7, the first American human spaceflight mission. 

              Astronaut Alan Shepard flew on a suborbital lob on May 5, 1961. 
|                                | Prelaunch test of the later Mercury-Atlas 9 (MA9) on Launch Pad 

              14 at Cape Canaveral, Florida.                                                                                                                                                             |                                                                                                  | The original Mercury 7 astronauts, whose selection was announced 

              on April 9, 1959.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |  | The Freedom 7 spacecraft on the launch pad for the Mercury-Redstone 

              3 first American human spaceflight mission. |  | A Mercury capsule complete in a hangar at what is now NASAs 

              Glenn Research Center in Cleveland.                                   
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|                                | Updated February 22, 2010 

          
          Steve Garber, NASA History Web Curator

          For further information, e-mail histinfo@hq.nasa.gov

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        edited by Lisa Jirousek 

        NASA Printing and Design