Glenn Flight Turns 60

Sixty years ago Sunday a New Concord man suited up and rode to the base of the Mercury-Atlas Rocket and took a ride into space in the Friendship 7 Spacecraft.

It was on February 20, 1962 that John Glenn became the first American to orbit the Earth in space. He made three and a half orbits, re-entering early due to a spacecraft glitch. It was thought the heath shield protecting him was be coming loose.

Glenn had to rely on his own skill, rather than computer guidance to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere.

Prior to his ride into space, he spent over two and a half hours in delay due to numerous problems including a glitch in the rocket guidance system and a faulty bolt used to tighten the capsule’s hatch.

The John and Annie Glenn Museum in New Concord celebrated his accomplishment Sunday with the showing of the Friendship 7 documentary, a Friendship 7 photo display and photos of his homecoming parade.