Astronaut Profile
John Glenn
Pilot
John Glenn piloted Friendship 7 to become the first American to orbit Earth, and later returned to space aboard the Space Shuttle at age 77.
OrbitingTruths Archive
Pilot • Deceased
Biography
The person behind the mission
John Glenn was a U.S. Marine Corps fighter pilot and one of the original Mercury Seven astronauts. On February 20, 1962, he piloted Friendship 7 on three orbits of Earth, becoming the first American to orbit the planet and an instant national hero. Glenn later served as a U.S. Senator from Ohio for 24 years. In 1998, at age 77, he flew aboard Space Shuttle Discovery on mission STS-95, becoming the oldest person to fly in space at the time.
Astronaut Details
Born
July 18, 1921
Died
December 8, 2016
Birthplace
Cambridge, Ohio, USA
Role
Pilot
Program
Mercury
Time in Space
10 days, 0 hours, 49 minutes
Missions
Friendship 7, STS-95
Recognition
Awards & Honors
- Congressional Space Medal of Honor
- Presidential Medal of Freedom
- NASA Distinguished Service Medal
- Congressional Gold Medal