When NASA launched astronaut John Glenn into orbit on Feb. 20, 1962, the U.S. joined the realm of orbital spaceflight and never looked back. Seven years later, the first Americans would land on the moon. See how NASA made the leap into orbital spaceflight with Glenn's historic Friendship 7 spaceflight in the SPACE.com inforgrahic above.
John Glenn died on Dec. 8, 2016 at age 95. Read our full obituary here.
- In Photos: John Glenn, First American in Orbit
- Astronaut John Glenn: An American Hero's Greatest Moments Remembered
- Video: This is Friendship 7: America's First Orbital Spaceflight at 50
- Project Mercury: Photos of NASA's 1st Manned Spaceflights
- Giant Leaps: Top Milestones of Human Spaceflight
- America's First Spaceship: Project Mercury (Infographic)