Friendship 7

Crew:
    John Glenn [1]

Backup Crew:
    Malcom Carpenter

Launch:
    Location: Cape Canaveral Air Force Station
    Pad: LC-14
    Date: 20 February 1962
    Time: 14:47:39 UTC

Flight:
    Mission Duration: 4 hours, 55 minutes, 23 seconds
    Orbits: 3
    Max. Velocity: 17,544 mph
    Distance: 75,679 statute miles

Landing:
    Date: 20 February 1962
    Time: 19:43:02 UTC

Recovery:
    Location: Atlantic Ocean, 800 miles SE of Bermuda (21° 26' N, 68° 41' W)
    Vessel: USS Noa (DD-841)

This was the first manned orbital space flight by the United States.

There were concerns that the heat shield had become loose during the flight and Glenn was instructed not to jettison the retro package.

During the flight, Glenn commented on seeing "fireflies". These were later determined to be sunlight reflecting on frost particles emitted by the control jets.
Launch vehicle was an Atlas rocket.

(Credit: NASA, click to enlarge)
Glenn entering the MA-6 spacecraft.

Friendship 7 is currently at the National Air and Space Museum, Washington, DC.

Crew

---

Archived NASA page for Firendship 7

 

---

Page last modified: 08 April 2024 10:17:04.