Sixty years ago today: 2/20/62. John Glenn's Mercury flight.

CaptHenway · Feb 22, 2022

My paternal grandmother was born in 1890. In the Summer of 1969 she was living with us, and sat up with us to watch Neil Armstrong step onto the Moon. I asked her if she remember the Wright Brothers flight, and she said that she remembered reading about it in the newspapers, but did not think that it would ever affect her.

I remembered going out to the airport in Detroit a few years earlier with my Dad to pick her up from a trip she took out to Vegas with a couple of her lady friends, but I said nothing.

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dwhiz · Feb 22, 2022

1962 the year I graduated high school.

Cheech9712 · Feb 22, 2022

Skyman said: ↑

Sixty years ago today, 2/20/62, John Glenn became the first American to fly in Earth orbit aboard his Mercury capsule, Friendship 7. He became the third human to orbit the Earth, as the USSR had beaten the USA to launch the first man into space. Yuri Gagarin flew on 4/12/61, and the USSR sent the first human to orbit the Earth multiple times, indeed for a full day, Gherman Titov, on 8/6/61. Both these flights punctured the American psyche.

NASA astronauts Alan Shepard and Gus Grissom flew into space on 15 minute short suborbital flights using Redstone boosters in 1961, but they were seen as popgun flights compared to the USSR's success. Glenn orbited the Earth 3 times, roughly 4 1/2 hours, launching on the Atlas booster, which was roughly 4 - 5 times as powerful as the Redstone. This flight made the US people, indeed many in the Free World, feel like the USA was in the Space Race for real. It was a huge emotional lift for the USA.

Here's a short snorter from Bill Dana, the comedian who created the skit, Jose Jimenez the reluctant astronaut. Given that it's a true short snorter, e.g. kept in his wallet, it's rather hard to read some of the signatures, but the name at the top of the list is John Glenn.

View attachment 1444563

Here's a picture of the launch of Friendship 7, signed by all 4 Mercury astronauts who flew on the Mercury-Atlas system.

View attachment 1444565

Atlas 109 D was the Atlas that launched Glenn into orbit. A chunk of it was found in East Africa. Here is a piece that was cut from that chunk. The piece was given to Deke Slayton who kept it on his desk until his death. Slayton was a Mercury 7 astronaut, who became Chief of the Astronaut office.

View attachment 1444567
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I talked to him a few times on the phone. Such a proud and cutting edge man

Cheech9712 · Feb 22, 2022

Skyman said: ↑

Sixty years ago today, 2/20/62, John Glenn became the first American to fly in Earth orbit aboard his Mercury capsule, Friendship 7. He became the third human to orbit the Earth, as the USSR had beaten the USA to launch the first man into space. Yuri Gagarin flew on 4/12/61, and the USSR sent the first human to orbit the Earth multiple times, indeed for a full day, Gherman Titov, on 8/6/61. Both these flights punctured the American psyche.

NASA astronauts Alan Shepard and Gus Grissom flew into space on 15 minute short suborbital flights using Redstone boosters in 1961, but they were seen as popgun flights compared to the USSR's success. Glenn orbited the Earth 3 times, roughly 4 1/2 hours, launching on the Atlas booster, which was roughly 4 - 5 times as powerful as the Redstone. This flight made the US people, indeed many in the Free World, feel like the USA was in the Space Race for real. It was a huge emotional lift for the USA.

Here's a short snorter from Bill Dana, the comedian who created the skit, Jose Jimenez the reluctant astronaut. Given that it's a true short snorter, e.g. kept in his wallet, it's rather hard to read some of the signatures, but the name at the top of the list is John Glenn.

View attachment 1444563

Here's a picture of the launch of Friendship 7, signed by all 4 Mercury astronauts who flew on the Mercury-Atlas system.

View attachment 1444565

Atlas 109 D was the Atlas that launched Glenn into orbit. A chunk of it was found in East Africa. Here is a piece that was cut from that chunk. The piece was given to Deke Slayton who kept it on his desk until his death. Slayton was a Mercury 7 astronaut, who became Chief of the Astronaut office.

View attachment 1444567
Click to expand...

Oh I want to hear more!!!!!

Cheech9712 · Feb 22, 2022

-jeffB said: ↑

Always nice to see a write-up of a historic milestone that I'm not (quite) old enough to remember.
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Holy molly. That was huge. Was like 50 Super Bowl all in one. He was either crazy or had balls as big as a wrecking ball. I was so scared for him. We all jumped around when he splash landed. We were a hugging and dancing. We were so alive that day. Thank you for taking me there again

Paddy54 · Feb 22, 2022

Cheech9712 said: ↑

Holy molly. That was huge. Was like 50 Super Bowl all in one. He was either crazy or had balls as big as a wrecking ball. I was so scared for him. We all jumped around when he splash landed. We were a hugging and dancing. We were so alive that day. Thank you for taking me there again
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And this is why I love you Cheech you tell it like it is or was.....not to mention you make me laugh!

Cheech9712 · Feb 22, 2022

Long Beard said: ↑

Like Jeff B, I wasn't born yet and only two in 1969. Yet those events carried on into my youth where I learned to dream. Do children still do that any more? Dream as we once did. Thanks for that, Skyman!
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I hope they do. Cuz the dreams were telling me the moons next. We’re having a family party in like 2 weeks. Bakers dozen of grandbabbies I will gather a few and tell them this John Glenn and what he did for us. Got to tell them how these TRAINING WHEELS missions happen and where they can understand where we are now. Good post

Cheech9712 · Feb 22, 2022

dwhiz said: ↑

1962 the year I graduated high school.
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Sixty years ago today: 2/20/62. John Glenn's Mercury flight.

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Sixty years ago today: 2/20/62. John Glenn's Mercury flight.

CaptHenway Survivor

Guest User Guest

dwhiz Collector Supporter

Cheech9712 Every thing is a guess

Cheech9712 Every thing is a guess

Cheech9712 Every thing is a guess

Paddy54 Well-Known Member

Cheech9712 Every thing is a guess

Cheech9712 Every thing is a guess

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