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In this historic capsule, John H. Glenn Jr. became the first American to orbit the Earth. Glenn's flight was the third manned mission of Project Mercury, following two suborbital flights by astronauts in 1961. Glenn's three-orbit mission on February 20, 1962, was a sterling success, as he overcame problems with the automatic control system that would have ended an unmanned flight. But reentry was tense, as a faulty telemetry signal from the spacecraft indicated that the heat shield might be loose. Mission Control instructed Glenn not to jettison the retrorocket package after firing in order to better hold the heat shield in place. Glenn reentered successfully and splashed down in the Atlantic 4 hours, 55 minutes and 23 seconds after launch.
NASA transferred Friendship 7 to the Smithsonian Institution in 1963, which has exhibited it in buildings on the National Mall ever since.
Display Status
This object is not on display at the National Air and Space Museum. It is either on loan or in storage.
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Object Details
Key Accomplishment(s)
Carried First American into Orbit
Brief Description
On February 20, 1962, NASA astronaut John Glenn became the first American to orbit the Earth in this spacecraft which he named Friendship 7. Glenn returned to a hero's welcome, having completed three orbits and matching the Soviet Union's achievements.
Country of Origin
United States of America
Type
SPACECRAFT-Crewed
Astronaut
John H. Glenn, Jr.
Manufacturer
McDonnell Aircraft Corp.
Dimensions
Overall: 190.5 × 226.1cm, 875.4kg (6 ft. 3 in. × 7 ft. 5 in., 1930lb.)
Materials
Skin & Structure: Titanium
Heat shield: Phenolic resin, fiberglass
Shingles: Nickel-steel alloy; beryllium shingles removed
Alternate Name
Mercury Friendship 7
Inventory Number
A19670176000
Credit Line
Transferred from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Data Source
National Air and Space Museum
Restrictions & Rights
Open Access (CCO)
For more information, visit the Smithsonians Terms of Use.
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