John Glenn became the first U.S. astronaut to orbit the Earth, flying a ship called the Friendship 7 around the world in a nearly 5-hour flight on February 20, 1962. Glenn also had political aspirations, running as a Democrat for a U.S. Senate seat for Ohio in 1964.
John Glenn, First Astronaut to Orbit the Earth, Dies at 95
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On April 9, 1959, NASA introduced its first astronaut class, the Mercury 7.
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Major John Glenn Jr., hugs his children, Dave and Lyn, while his wife, Anne, watches moments after Glenn landed at Floyd Bennett Field in New York following his record-breaking flight of just over 3 hours and 23 minutes from California, July 16, 1957.