John Glenn Orbits Earth -- February 20, 1962
On February 20, 1962, Astronaut John Glenn aboard the Mercury craft Friendship 7 became the first American to orbit the earth. In a five-hour flight, Glenn orbited the Earth three times and landed safely in the Atlantic Ocean. Both President John Kennedy and the American people celebrated Glenn's space flight. The United States had equaled the Soviet Union in scientific accomplishment.
Ever since the Soviet Union launched Sputnik in 1957, the United States trailed the USSR in the space race. Since space technology demonstrated potential weapons, this competition became an important aspect of the Cold War. In April 1961, the Soviets launched the first man, Yuri Gagarin, into orbit. Soon the American followed suit sending Alan Shepard into space in 1961 and Virgil Grissom in 1962. Both Shepard's and Grissom's flights, however, were suborbital, failing to match the Soviet accomplishment.
In light of the Soviet successes, President Kennedy endorsed an aggressive space program. While realizing the importance of space exploration to the military, Kennedy remained firmly committed to a civilian controlled program of manned space flights. Eisenhower had reluctantly approved Project Mercury and its goal of sending Americans into space. With the encouragement of Vice President Lyndon Johnson, Kennedy increased spending on the space program hoping to surpass the Soviets. In an address to Congress on May 25, 1961, the President challenged the nation to "commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon." Despite lagging behind the Soviets, Kennedy envisioned an American victory in the space race.
For more information, please visit the John Fitzgerald Kennedy home page or go to more Events in Presidential History.
