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Friendship 7, NASA Mercury project

Friendship 7, NASA Mercury project

(February 20, 1962) On February 20, 1962 at 9:47 am EST, John Glenn launched from Cape Canaveral's Launch Complex 14 to become the first American to orbit the Earth. In this image, Glenn enters his Friendship 7... More

Launch of Friendship 7, NASA Mercury project

Launch of Friendship 7, NASA Mercury project

Full Description: (February 20, 1962) Launch of Friendship 7, the first American manned orbital space flight. Astronaut John Glenn aboard, the Mercury-Atlas rocket is launched from Pad 14...Image # : 62PC-0011

Mariner Diagram, NASA Mercury project

Mariner Diagram, NASA Mercury project

Description: (1965) A diagram of the Mariner series of spacecraft and launch vehicle. Mariner spacecraft explored Mercury, Venus and Mars.

LIFTOFF - GEMINI-TITAN (GT)-8 - ATLAS/AGENA - CAPE

LIFTOFF - GEMINI-TITAN (GT)-8 - ATLAS/AGENA - CAPE

S66-24482 (16 March 1966) --- An Agena Target Docking Vehicle atop an Atlas rocket lifts off from Launch Complex 14 at Cape Kennedy at 10 a.m., March 16, 1966 just prior to the Gemini-8 liftoff at nearby Launch... More

The Gemini 12 astronauts James Lovell and Edwin Aldrin lifted off aboard a Titan launch vehicle from the Kennedy Space Center on November 11, 1966, an hour and a half after their Agena target vehicle was orbited by an Atlas rocket. Launched atop an Atlas booster, the Agena target vehicle (ATV) was a spacecraft used by NASA to develop and practice orbital space rendezvous and docking techniques in preparation for the Apollo program lunar missions. The objective was for Agena and Gemini to rendezvous in space and practice docking procedures. An intermediate step between Project Mercury and the Apollo Program, the Gemini Program's major objectives were to subject two men and supporting equipment to long duration flights, to perfect rendezvous and docking with other orbiting vehicles, methods of reentry, and landing of the spacecraft. n/a

The Gemini 12 astronauts James Lovell and Edwin Aldrin lifted off aboa...

The Gemini 12 astronauts James Lovell and Edwin Aldrin lifted off aboard a Titan launch vehicle from the Kennedy Space Center on November 11, 1966, an hour and a half after their Agena target vehicle was orbite... More

Apollo Project - Liftoff of Lunar Orbiter III

Apollo Project - Liftoff of Lunar Orbiter III

Description: Liftoff of Lunar Orbiter III from Complex 13...UID: SPD-NIX-EL-2002-0051 4

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Mercury astronaut John Glenn and his wife, Annie, pose during a luncheon Feb. 17, 2012, celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with Glenn's Mercury mission MA-6, on Feb. 20, 1962. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Scott Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-1429

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Mercury astronaut John Glenn and his wife, Anni...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Mercury astronaut John Glenn and his wife, Annie, pose during a luncheon Feb. 17, 2012, celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with Glenn's Mercury mission MA-6, o... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Annie Glenn, center, speaks as former Kennedy Space Center director Roy Bridges, left, and astronaut John Glenn look on during a luncheon Feb. 17, 2012, celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with Glenn's Mercury mission MA-6, on Feb. 20, 1962. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Scott Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-1423

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Annie Glenn, center, speaks as former Kennedy S...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Annie Glenn, center, speaks as former Kennedy Space Center director Roy Bridges, left, and astronaut John Glenn look on during a luncheon Feb. 17, 2012, celebrating 50 years of Americans ... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- U.S. Rep. Bill Posey listens to remarks during the "On Shoulders of Giants" program celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with John Glenn's MA-6 mission on Feb. 20, 1962. The event was conducted in the Rocket Garden at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida a few miles from the launch pad where Glenn and Scott Carpenter took flight in Mercury spacecraft. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Photo credit: Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-1484

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- U.S. Rep. Bill Posey listens to remarks during...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- U.S. Rep. Bill Posey listens to remarks during the "On Shoulders of Giants" program celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with John Glenn's MA-6 mission on Feb. ... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mercury astronauts, John Glenn, left, and Scott Carpenter, talk to Mercury Project workers and other guests in the Astronaut Encounter Theater at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. The pair participated in 50th anniversary events at the launch site of Glenn's first orbital flight aboard NASA's Friendship 7 capsule, which launched Feb. 20, 1962, aboard an Atlas rocket. At right, is Jack King, who was chief of Kennedy's Public Information Office during Project Mercury. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Photo credit: Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-1477

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mercury astronauts, John Glenn, left, and Scot...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mercury astronauts, John Glenn, left, and Scott Carpenter, talk to Mercury Project workers and other guests in the Astronaut Encounter Theater at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. --John Zarella leads a standing ovation during the "On Shoulders of Giants" program celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with John Glenn's MA-6 mission on Feb. 20, 1962. The event was conducted in the Rocket Garden at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida a few miles from the launch pad where Glenn and Scott Carpenter took flight in Mercury spacecraft. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Scott Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Photo credit: Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-1514

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. --John Zarella leads a standing ovation during th...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. --John Zarella leads a standing ovation during the "On Shoulders of Giants" program celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with John Glenn's MA-6 mission on Feb. 20,... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana, standing, speaks during a luncheon Feb. 17, 2012, celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with Glenn's Mercury mission MA-6, on Feb. 20, 1962. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Scott Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-1418

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana, stand...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana, standing, speaks during a luncheon Feb. 17, 2012, celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with Glenn's Mercury mission MA-... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mercury astronauts, John Glenn, left, and Scott Carpenter, talk to Mercury Project workers and other guests in the Astronaut Encounter Theater at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. The pair participated in 50th anniversary events at the launch site of Glenn's first orbital flight aboard NASA's Friendship 7 capsule, which launched Feb. 20, 1962, aboard an Atlas rocket. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Photo credit: Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-1472

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mercury astronauts, John Glenn, left, and Scot...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mercury astronauts, John Glenn, left, and Scott Carpenter, talk to Mercury Project workers and other guests in the Astronaut Encounter Theater at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- John Glenn and NASA Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana sit in the flight deck of space shuttle Discovery in Orbiter Processing Facility-1 OPF-1. Glenn is at the space center to mark the 50th anniversary of being the first American astronaut to orbit the Earth inside the NASA Mercury Project's Friendship 7 capsule on Feb. 20, 1962. Glenn later returned to space in October 1998 as a payload specialist aboard Discovery's STS-95 mission. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Scott Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Shuttle Discovery currently is being prepared for display at Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum, Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Va. Photo credit: Cory Huston KSC-2012-1454

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- John Glenn and NASA Kennedy Space Center Direc...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- John Glenn and NASA Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana sit in the flight deck of space shuttle Discovery in Orbiter Processing Facility-1 OPF-1. Glenn is at the space center to mar... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mercury astronaut John Glenn sits in front of the plot board from the Mercury control center on display at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. The astronaut, part of the original class of seven astronauts chosen by NASA, was taking part in a question-and-answer session with the media as part of events celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with Glenn's Mercury mission MA-6, on Feb. 20, 1962. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-1435

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mercury astronaut John Glenn sits in front of ...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mercury astronaut John Glenn sits in front of the plot board from the Mercury control center on display at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. The astronaut, part of the... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The international news media takes part in a question-and-answer session with Mercury astronauts John Glenn and Scott Carpenter at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. The astronauts, part of the original class of seven astronauts chosen by NASA, were taking part in events celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with John Glenn's Mercury mission MA-6, on Feb. 20, 1962. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-1438

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The international news media takes part in a q...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The international news media takes part in a question-and-answer session with Mercury astronauts John Glenn and Scott Carpenter at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. Th... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Former space shuttle launch director, Bob Sieck, left, talks to guests in the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Sieck is helping John Glenn mark the 50th anniversary of being the first American astronaut to orbit the Earth inside the NASA Mercury Project's Friendship 7 capsule on Feb. 20, 1962. Glenn later returned to space in October 1998 as a payload specialist aboard space shuttle Discovery's STS-95 mission. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Scott Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Photo credit: Cory Huston KSC-2012-1461

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Former space shuttle launch director, Bob Siec...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Former space shuttle launch director, Bob Sieck, left, talks to guests in the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Sieck is helping John Glenn mark the 50... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- John Glenn and his wife, Annie, and NASA astronaut Stephen Robinson stand under space shuttle Discovery in Orbiter Processing Facility-1 OPF-1 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Glenn is at the space center to mark the 50th anniversary of being the first American astronaut to orbit the Earth inside the NASA Mercury Project's Friendship 7 capsule on Feb. 20, 1962. Glenn later returned to space in October 1998 as a payload specialist aboard Discovery's STS-95 mission. Robinson was the payload commander of STS-95. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Scott Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Shuttle Discovery currently is being prepared for display at Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum, Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Va. Photo credit: Cory Huston KSC-2012-1449

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- John Glenn and his wife, Annie, and NASA astro...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- John Glenn and his wife, Annie, and NASA astronaut Stephen Robinson stand under space shuttle Discovery in Orbiter Processing Facility-1 OPF-1 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. ... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Former space shuttle launch director, Bob Sieck, talks to guests in the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Sieck is helping John Glenn mark the 50th anniversary of being the first American astronaut to orbit the Earth inside the NASA Mercury Project's Friendship 7 capsule on Feb. 20, 1962. Glenn later returned to space in October 1998 as a payload specialist aboard space shuttle Discovery's STS-95 mission. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Scott Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Photo credit: Cory Huston KSC-2012-1465

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Former space shuttle launch director, Bob Siec...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Former space shuttle launch director, Bob Sieck, talks to guests in the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Sieck is helping John Glenn mark the 50th ann... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Lisa Malone, left, director of Public Affairs at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, talks with Mercury astronauts John Glenn, center, and Scott Carpenter in front of the plot board from the Mercury control center on display at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. The astronauts, part of the original class of seven astronauts chosen by NASA, were taking part in a question-and-answer session with the media as part of events celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with John Glenn's Mercury mission MA-6, on Feb. 20, 1962. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-1439

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Lisa Malone, left, director of Public Affairs ...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Lisa Malone, left, director of Public Affairs at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, talks with Mercury astronauts John Glenn, center, and Scott Carpenter in front of the plot board ... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- John Zarella makes remarks during the "On Shoulders of Giants" program celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with John Glenn's MA-6 mission on Feb. 20, 1962. The event was conducted in the Rocket Garden at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida a few miles from the launch pad where Glenn and Scott Carpenter took flight in Mercury spacecraft. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Scott Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Photo credit: Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-1505

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- John Zarella makes remarks during the "On Shou...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- John Zarella makes remarks during the "On Shoulders of Giants" program celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with John Glenn's MA-6 mission on Feb. 20, 1962. The... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mercury astronauts Scott Carpenter, left, and John Glenn sit in front of a capsule from the Mercury program on display at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. The two astronauts, part of the original class of seven astronauts chosen by NASA, were taking part in events celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with Glenn's Mercury mission MA-6, on Feb. 20, 1962. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-1434

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mercury astronauts Scott Carpenter, left, and ...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mercury astronauts Scott Carpenter, left, and John Glenn sit in front of a capsule from the Mercury program on display at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. The two ast... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- John Glenn signs autographs in Orbiter Processing Facility-1 OPF-1 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida where space shuttle Discovery is being prepared for public display. Glenn is at the space center to mark the 50th anniversary of being the first American astronaut to orbit the Earth inside the NASA Mercury Project's Friendship 7 capsule on Feb. 20, 1962. Glenn later returned to space in October 1998 as a payload specialist aboard Discovery's STS-95 mission. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Scott Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Shuttle Discovery currently is being prepared for display at Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum, Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Va. Photo credit: Cory Huston KSC-2012-1458

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- John Glenn signs autographs in Orbiter Process...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- John Glenn signs autographs in Orbiter Processing Facility-1 OPF-1 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida where space shuttle Discovery is being prepared for public display. Glenn is ... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Former space shuttle launch director, Bob Sieck, left, talks to guests in the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Sieck is helping John Glenn mark the 50th anniversary of being the first American astronaut to orbit the Earth inside the NASA Mercury Project's Friendship 7 capsule on Feb. 20, 1962. Glenn later returned to space in October 1998 as a payload specialist aboard space shuttle Discovery's STS-95 mission. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Scott Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Photo credit: Cory Huston KSC-2012-1462

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Former space shuttle launch director, Bob Siec...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Former space shuttle launch director, Bob Sieck, left, talks to guests in the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Sieck is helping John Glenn mark the 50... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mercury astronauts Scott Carpenter, left, and John Glenn and astronaut Steve Robinson of STS-95 listen to remarks during the "On Shoulders of Giants" program celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with Glenn's MA-6 mission on Feb. 20, 1962. The event was conducted in the Rocket Garden at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida a few miles from the launch pad where Glenn and Carpenter took flight in Mercury spacecraft. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Photo credit: Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-1478

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mercury astronauts Scott Carpenter, left, and ...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mercury astronauts Scott Carpenter, left, and John Glenn and astronaut Steve Robinson of STS-95 listen to remarks during the "On Shoulders of Giants" program celebrating 50 years of Amer... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mercury astronaut John Glenn listens to remarks during the "On Shoulders of Giants" program celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with Glenn's MA-6 mission on Feb. 20, 1962. The event was conducted in the Rocket Garden at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida a few miles from the launch pad where Glenn and Scott Carpenter took flight in Mercury spacecraft. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Scott Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Photo credit: Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-1481

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mercury astronaut John Glenn listens to remark...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mercury astronaut John Glenn listens to remarks during the "On Shoulders of Giants" program celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with Glenn's MA-6 mission on Fe... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mercury astronaut John Glenn, left, prepares to ride in the Corvette parade following the "On Shoulders of Giants" program celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with Glenn's MA-6 mission on Feb. 20, 1962. The event was conducted in the Rocket Garden at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida a few miles from the launch pad where Glenn and Scott Carpenter took flight in Mercury spacecraft. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Scott Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Photo credit: Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-1502

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mercury astronaut John Glenn, left, prepares t...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mercury astronaut John Glenn, left, prepares to ride in the Corvette parade following the "On Shoulders of Giants" program celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began ... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. --Mercury astronauts John Glenn, left, and Scott Carpenter sit in front of the plot board from the Mercury control center on display at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. The astronauts, part of the original class of seven astronauts chosen by NASA, were taking part in a question-and-answer session with the media as part of events celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with John Glenn's Mercury mission MA-6, on Feb. 20, 1962. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-1442

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. --Mercury astronauts John Glenn, left, and Scott ...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. --Mercury astronauts John Glenn, left, and Scott Carpenter sit in front of the plot board from the Mercury control center on display at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. The astrona... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mercury astronaut John Glenn speaks during the "On Shoulders of Giants" program celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with Glenn's MA-6 mission on Feb. 20, 1962. The event was conducted in the Rocket Garden at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida a few miles from the launch pad where Glenn and Scott Carpenter took flight in Mercury spacecraft. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Scott Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Photo credit: Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-1511

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mercury astronaut John Glenn speaks during the...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mercury astronaut John Glenn speaks during the "On Shoulders of Giants" program celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with Glenn's MA-6 mission on Feb. 20, 1962.... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Ed Mango, program manager of NASA's Commercial Crew Program, left, talks with astronaut John Glenn, center and NASA Administrator Charles Bolden before a luncheon Feb. 17, 2012, celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with Glenn's Mercury mission MA-6, on Feb. 20, 1962. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Scott Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-1417

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Ed Mango, program manager of NASA's Commercial ...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Ed Mango, program manager of NASA's Commercial Crew Program, left, talks with astronaut John Glenn, center and NASA Administrator Charles Bolden before a luncheon Feb. 17, 2012, celebrati... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- NASA Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana, right, talks to guests in Orbiter Processing Facility-1 OPF-1 where space shuttle Discovery is being prepared for public display during a 50th anniversary celebration of the first orbital flight of an American. The astronaut who made that first flight, John Glenn, is at the space center to commemorate that achievement. Glenn orbited the Earth three times in the NASA Mercury Project's Friendship 7 capsule on Feb. 20, 1962. He later returned to space in October 1998 as a payload specialist aboard Discovery's STS-95 mission. Also in the photo are Glenn's wife, Annie, NASA astronaut Stephen Robinson, and Bob Sieck, a former shuttle launch director. Robinson was the payload commander of STS-95. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Scott Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Shuttle Discovery currently is being prepared for display at Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum, Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Va. Photo credit: Cory Huston KSC-2012-1450

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- NASA Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana,...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- NASA Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana, right, talks to guests in Orbiter Processing Facility-1 OPF-1 where space shuttle Discovery is being prepared for public display during a 5... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Cal Fowler, Launch test director during Mercury, speaks during the "On Shoulders of Giants" program celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with John Glenn's MA-6 mission on Feb. 20, 1962. The event was conducted in the Rocket Garden at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida a few miles from the launch pad where Glenn and Scott Carpenter took flight in Mercury spacecraft. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Photo credit: Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-1485

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Cal Fowler, Launch test director during Mercur...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Cal Fowler, Launch test director during Mercury, speaks during the "On Shoulders of Giants" program celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with John Glenn's MA-6 ... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mercury astronaut John Glenn poses for a photo in front of the Project Mercury monument at Launch Complex-14 LC-14 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. During events at the Cape and NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Glenn is marking the 50th anniversary of being the first American astronaut to orbit the Earth inside the Friendship 7 capsule on Feb. 20, 1962. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Scott Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Photo credit: Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-1469

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mercury astronaut John Glenn poses for a photo...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mercury astronaut John Glenn poses for a photo in front of the Project Mercury monument at Launch Complex-14 LC-14 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. During events at the Ca... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -Annie Glenn, left, astronaut John Glenn and NASA Administrator Charles Bolden take part in a luncheon Feb. 17, 2012, celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with Glenn's Mercury mission MA-6, on Feb. 20, 1962. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Scott Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-1422

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -Annie Glenn, left, astronaut John Glenn and NASA...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -Annie Glenn, left, astronaut John Glenn and NASA Administrator Charles Bolden take part in a luncheon Feb. 17, 2012, celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with Gle... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- John Glenn signs the wall of the clean room leading into space shuttle Discovery in Orbiter Processing Facility-1 OPF-1 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Glenn is at the space center to mark the 50th anniversary of being the first American astronaut to orbit the Earth inside the NASA Mercury Project's Friendship 7 capsule on Feb. 20, 1962. Glenn later returned to space in October 1998 as a payload specialist aboard Discovery's STS-95 mission. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Scott Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Shuttle Discovery currently is being prepared for display at Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum, Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Va. Photo credit: Cory Huston KSC-2012-1457

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- John Glenn signs the wall of the clean room le...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- John Glenn signs the wall of the clean room leading into space shuttle Discovery in Orbiter Processing Facility-1 OPF-1 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Glenn is at the space c... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- John Glenn stands in the middeck of space shuttle Discovery in Orbiter Processing Facility-1 OPF-1 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Glenn is at the space center to mark the 50th anniversary of being the first American astronaut to orbit the Earth inside the NASA Mercury Project's Friendship 7 capsule on Feb. 20, 1962. Glenn later returned to space in October 1998 as a payload specialist aboard Discovery's STS-95 mission. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Scott Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Shuttle Discovery currently is being prepared for display at Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum, Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Va. Photo credit: Cory Huston KSC-2012-1451

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- John Glenn stands in the middeck of space shut...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- John Glenn stands in the middeck of space shuttle Discovery in Orbiter Processing Facility-1 OPF-1 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Glenn is at the space center to mark the 50t... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mercury astronaut John Glenn, left, and Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana shake hands following the "On Shoulders of Giants" program celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with Glenn's MA-6 mission on Feb. 20, 1962. The event was conducted in the Rocket Garden at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida a few miles from the launch pad where Glenn and Scott Carpenter took flight in Mercury spacecraft. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Scott Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Photo credit: Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-1497

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mercury astronaut John Glenn, left, and Kenned...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mercury astronaut John Glenn, left, and Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana shake hands following the "On Shoulders of Giants" program celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana, center, talks with U.S. Rep. Bill Posey, left and U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson following the "On Shoulders of Giants" program celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with Glenn's MA-6 mission on Feb. 20, 1962. The event was conducted in the Rocket Garden at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida a few miles from the launch pad where Glenn and Scott Carpenter took flight in Mercury spacecraft. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Scott Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Photo credit: Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-1498

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana, cent...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana, center, talks with U.S. Rep. Bill Posey, left and U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson following the "On Shoulders of Giants" program celebrating 50 years of A... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. --Mercury astronaut Scott Carpenter speaks during the "On Shoulders of Giants" program celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with John Glenn's MA-6 mission on Feb. 20, 1962. The event was conducted in the Rocket Garden at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida a few miles from the launch pad where Glenn and Scott Carpenter took flight in Mercury spacecraft. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Scott Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Photo credit: Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-1495

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. --Mercury astronaut Scott Carpenter speaks during...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. --Mercury astronaut Scott Carpenter speaks during the "On Shoulders of Giants" program celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with John Glenn's MA-6 mission on Feb. ... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mercury astronaut John Glenn, left, talks with fellow Mercury astronaut Scott Carpenter before they ride in the Corvette parade following the "On Shoulders of Giants" program celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with Glenn's MA-6 mission on Feb. 20, 1962. The event was conducted in the Rocket Garden at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida a few miles from the launch pad where Glenn and Carpenter took flight in Mercury spacecraft. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Scott Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Photo credit: Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-1501

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mercury astronaut John Glenn, left, talks with...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mercury astronaut John Glenn, left, talks with fellow Mercury astronaut Scott Carpenter before they ride in the Corvette parade following the "On Shoulders of Giants" program celebrating... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- John Glenn and his wife, Annie, and NASA astronaut Stephen Robinson tour the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Glenn is at the space center to mark the 50th anniversary of being the first American astronaut to orbit the Earth inside the NASA Mercury Project's Friendship 7 capsule on Feb. 20, 1962. Glenn later returned to space in October 1998 as a payload specialist aboard space shuttle Discovery's STS-95 mission. Robinson was the payload commander of STS-95. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Scott Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Photo credit: Cory Huston KSC-2012-1464

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- John Glenn and his wife, Annie, and NASA astro...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- John Glenn and his wife, Annie, and NASA astronaut Stephen Robinson tour the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Glenn is at the space center to mark the... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA Administrator Charles Bolden, left, talks with astronaut John Glenn and his wife, Annie Glenn, before a luncheon Feb. 17, 2012, celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with Glenn's Mercury mission MA-6, on Feb. 20, 1962. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Scott Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-1415

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA Administrator Charles Bolden, left, talks ...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA Administrator Charles Bolden, left, talks with astronaut John Glenn and his wife, Annie Glenn, before a luncheon Feb. 17, 2012, celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era whi... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mercury astronaut John Glenn poses for a photo in front of the Project Mercury monument at Launch Complex-14 LC-14 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. During events at the Cape and NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Glenn is marking the 50th anniversary of being the first American astronaut to orbit the Earth inside the Friendship 7 capsule on Feb. 20, 1962. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Scott Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Photo credit: Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-1470

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mercury astronaut John Glenn poses for a photo...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mercury astronaut John Glenn poses for a photo in front of the Project Mercury monument at Launch Complex-14 LC-14 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. During events at the Ca... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mercury astronaut Scott Carpenter speaks during the "On Shoulders of Giants" program celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with John Glenn's MA-6 mission on Feb. 20, 1962. The event was conducted in the Rocket Garden at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida a few miles from the launch pad where Glenn and Scott Carpenter took flight in Mercury spacecraft. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Scott Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Photo credit: Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-1496

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mercury astronaut Scott Carpenter speaks durin...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mercury astronaut Scott Carpenter speaks during the "On Shoulders of Giants" program celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with John Glenn's MA-6 mission on Feb.... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA Administrator Charles Bolden, left, shares a laugh with astronaut John Glenn before a luncheon Feb. 17, 2012, celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with Glenn's Mercury mission MA-6, on Feb. 20, 1962. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Scott Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-1416

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA Administrator Charles Bolden, left, shares...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA Administrator Charles Bolden, left, shares a laugh with astronaut John Glenn before a luncheon Feb. 17, 2012, celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with Glen... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- John Glenn and his wife, Annie, and NASA astronaut Stephen Robinson stand under space shuttle Discovery in Orbiter Processing Facility-1 OPF-1 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Glenn is at the space center to mark the 50th anniversary of being the first American astronaut to orbit the Earth inside the NASA Mercury Project's Friendship 7 capsule on Feb. 20, 1962. Glenn later returned to space in October 1998 as a payload specialist aboard Discovery's STS-95 mission. Robinson was the payload commander of STS-95. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Scott Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Shuttle Discovery currently is being prepared for display at Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum, Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Va. Photo credit: Cory Huston KSC-2012-1445

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- John Glenn and his wife, Annie, and NASA astro...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- John Glenn and his wife, Annie, and NASA astronaut Stephen Robinson stand under space shuttle Discovery in Orbiter Processing Facility-1 OPF-1 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. ... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Hugh Harris, the former director of Public Affairs at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, talks to Mercury Project workers and other guests in the Astronaut Encounter Theater at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. Harris is helping Mercury astronauts, John Glenn and Scott Carpenter, mark the 50th anniversary of Glenn being the first American to orbit the Earth inside the NASA Mercury Project's Friendship 7 capsule on Feb. 20, 1962. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Photo credit: Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-1475

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Hugh Harris, the former director of Public Aff...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Hugh Harris, the former director of Public Affairs at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, talks to Mercury Project workers and other guests in the Astronaut Encounter Theater at the ... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mercury astronauts, John Glenn, left, and Scott Carpenter, talk to Mercury Project workers and other guests in the Astronaut Encounter Theater at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. The pair participated in 50th anniversary events at the launch site of Glenn's first orbital flight aboard NASA's Friendship 7 capsule, which launched Feb. 20, 1962, aboard an Atlas rocket. At right, is Jack King, who was chief of Kennedy's Public Information Office during Project Mercury. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Photo credit: Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-1476

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mercury astronauts, John Glenn, left, and Scot...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mercury astronauts, John Glenn, left, and Scott Carpenter, talk to Mercury Project workers and other guests in the Astronaut Encounter Theater at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- NASA Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana sits at the controls in the flight deck of space shuttle Discovery in Orbiter Processing Facility-1 OPF-1. At the space center in Florida, Cabana is helping John Glenn mark the 50th anniversary of being the first American astronaut to orbit the Earth inside the NASA Mercury Project's Friendship 7 capsule on Feb. 20, 1962. Glenn later returned to space in October 1998 as a payload specialist aboard Discovery's STS-95 mission. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Scott Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Shuttle Discovery currently is being prepared for display at Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum, Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Va. Photo credit: Cory Huston KSC-2012-1455

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- NASA Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana ...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- NASA Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana sits at the controls in the flight deck of space shuttle Discovery in Orbiter Processing Facility-1 OPF-1. At the space center in Florida, C... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- STS-95 astronaut Steve Robinson speaks during the "On Shoulders of Giants" program celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with John Glenn's MA-6 mission on Feb. 20, 1962. The event was conducted in the Rocket Garden at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida a few miles from the launch pad where Glenn and Scott Carpenter took flight in Mercury spacecraft. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Scott Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Photo credit: Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-1487

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- STS-95 astronaut Steve Robinson speaks during ...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- STS-95 astronaut Steve Robinson speaks during the "On Shoulders of Giants" program celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with John Glenn's MA-6 mission on Feb. 2... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- John Glenn and his wife, Annie, and NASA astronaut Stephen Robinson stand beside the wheel of space shuttle Discovery in Orbiter Processing Facility-1 OPF-1 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Glenn is at the space center to mark the 50th anniversary of being the first American astronaut to orbit the Earth inside the NASA Mercury Project's Friendship 7 capsule on Feb. 20, 1962. Glenn later returned to space in October 1998 as a payload specialist aboard Discovery's STS-95 mission. Robinson was the payload commander of STS-95. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Scott Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Shuttle Discovery currently is being prepared for display at Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum, Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Va. Photo credit: Cory Huston KSC-2012-1448

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- John Glenn and his wife, Annie, and NASA astro...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- John Glenn and his wife, Annie, and NASA astronaut Stephen Robinson stand beside the wheel of space shuttle Discovery in Orbiter Processing Facility-1 OPF-1 at NASA's Kennedy Space Cente... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Mercury astronaut John Glenn signs a poster celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with Glenn's Mercury mission MA-6, on Feb. 20, 1962. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Scott Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-1432

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Mercury astronaut John Glenn signs a poster cel...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Mercury astronaut John Glenn signs a poster celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with Glenn's Mercury mission MA-6, on Feb. 20, 1962. Glenn's launch aboard an A... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. --Mercury astronaut John Glenn listens to remarks during the "On Shoulders of Giants" program celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with Glenn's MA-6 mission on Feb. 20, 1962. The event was conducted in the Rocket Garden at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida a few miles from the launch pad where Glenn and Scott Carpenter took flight in Mercury spacecraft. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Scott Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Photo credit: Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-1482

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. --Mercury astronaut John Glenn listens to remarks...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. --Mercury astronaut John Glenn listens to remarks during the "On Shoulders of Giants" program celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with Glenn's MA-6 mission on Feb... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mercury astronauts Scott Carpenter, left, and John Glenn and astronaut Steve Robinson of STS-95 listen to remarks during the "On Shoulders of Giants" program celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with Glenn's MA-6 mission on Feb. 20, 1962. The event was conducted in the Rocket Garden at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida a few miles from the launch pad where Glenn and Carpenter took flight in Mercury spacecraft. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Photo credit: Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-1489

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mercury astronauts Scott Carpenter, left, and ...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mercury astronauts Scott Carpenter, left, and John Glenn and astronaut Steve Robinson of STS-95 listen to remarks during the "On Shoulders of Giants" program celebrating 50 years of Amer... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana makes remarks during the "On Shoulders of Giants" program celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with John Glenn's MA-6 mission on Feb. 20, 1962. The event was conducted in the Rocket Garden at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida a few miles from the launch pad where Glenn and Scott Carpenter took flight in Mercury spacecraft. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Scott Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Photo credit: Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-1506

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana makes...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana makes remarks during the "On Shoulders of Giants" program celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with John Glenn's MA-6 m... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Former Kennedy Space Center directors Forrest McCartney, from left, Bob Crippen, Jay Honeycutt and Roy Bridges stand with current Kennedy director Bob Cabana, Mercury astronauts John Glenn and Scott Carpenter and NASA Administrator Charles Bolden during a luncheon Feb. 17, 2012, celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with Glenn's Mercury mission MA-6, on Feb. 20, 1962. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Scott Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-1425

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Former Kennedy Space Center directors Forrest M...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Former Kennedy Space Center directors Forrest McCartney, from left, Bob Crippen, Jay Honeycutt and Roy Bridges stand with current Kennedy director Bob Cabana, Mercury astronauts John Glen... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Mercury astronaut John Glenn, left, talks with Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana during a luncheon Feb. 17, 2012, celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with Glenn's Mercury mission MA-6, on Feb. 20, 1962. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Scott Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-1428

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Mercury astronaut John Glenn, left, talks with ...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Mercury astronaut John Glenn, left, talks with Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana during a luncheon Feb. 17, 2012, celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began wit... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -Annie Glenn and astronaut John Glenn listen during a luncheon Feb. 17, 2012, celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with Glenn's Mercury mission MA-6, on Feb. 20, 1962. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Scott Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-1421

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -Annie Glenn and astronaut John Glenn listen duri...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -Annie Glenn and astronaut John Glenn listen during a luncheon Feb. 17, 2012, celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with Glenn's Mercury mission MA-6, on Feb. 20, ... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Mercury astronauts John Glenn, left, and Scott Carpenter pose during a luncheon Feb. 17, 2012, celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with Glenn's Mercury mission MA-6, on Feb. 20, 1962. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Scott Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-1426

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Mercury astronauts John Glenn, left, and Scott ...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Mercury astronauts John Glenn, left, and Scott Carpenter pose during a luncheon Feb. 17, 2012, celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with Glenn's Mercury mission ... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- A crowd looks on during the "On Shoulders of Giants" program celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with John Glenn's MA-6 mission on Feb. 20, 1962. The event was conducted in the Rocket Garden at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida a few miles from the launch pad where Glenn and Scott Carpenter took flight in Mercury spacecraft. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Scott Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Photo credit: Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-1508

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- A crowd looks on during the "On Shoulders of G...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- A crowd looks on during the "On Shoulders of Giants" program celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with John Glenn's MA-6 mission on Feb. 20, 1962. The event was... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mercury astronauts John Glenn, left, and Scott Carpenter sit in front of the plot board from the Mercury control center on display at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. The astronauts, part of the original class of seven astronauts chosen by NASA, were taking part in a question-and-answer session with the media as part of events celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with John Glenn's Mercury mission MA-6, on Feb. 20, 1962. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-1440

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mercury astronauts John Glenn, left, and Scott...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mercury astronauts John Glenn, left, and Scott Carpenter sit in front of the plot board from the Mercury control center on display at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. The astron... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- NASA Kennedy Space Center Bob Cabana talks to a guest about the Mercury Project's Atlas rocket in the Vehicle Assembly Building. At the space center in Florida, Cabana is helping John Glenn mark the 50th anniversary of being the first American astronaut to orbit the Earth inside the NASA Mercury Project's Friendship 7 capsule on Feb. 20, 1962. Glenn later returned to space in October 1998 as a payload specialist aboard space shuttle Discovery's STS-95 mission. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Scott Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Photo credit: Cory Huston KSC-2012-1459

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- NASA Kennedy Space Center Bob Cabana talks to ...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- NASA Kennedy Space Center Bob Cabana talks to a guest about the Mercury Project's Atlas rocket in the Vehicle Assembly Building. At the space center in Florida, Cabana is helping John Gl... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana, from left, Mercury astronaut John Glenn, NASA Administrator Charles Bolden and Mercury astronaut Scott Carpenter pose during a luncheon Feb. 17, 2012, celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with Glenn's Mercury mission MA-6, on Feb. 20, 1962. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Scott Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-1427

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana, from ...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana, from left, Mercury astronaut John Glenn, NASA Administrator Charles Bolden and Mercury astronaut Scott Carpenter pose during a luncheon Feb. 17, ... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mercury astronauts John Glenn, left, and Scott Carpenter sit in front of the plot board from the Mercury control center on display at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. The astronauts, part of the original class of seven astronauts chosen by NASA, were taking part in a question-and-answer session with the media as part of events celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with John Glenn's Mercury mission MA-6, on Feb. 20, 1962. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-1441

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mercury astronauts John Glenn, left, and Scott...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mercury astronauts John Glenn, left, and Scott Carpenter sit in front of the plot board from the Mercury control center on display at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. The astron... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- John Glenn and NASA astronaut Stephen Robinson stand in the middeck of space shuttle Discovery in Orbiter Processing Facility-1 OPF-1 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Glenn is at the space center to mark the 50th anniversary of being the first American astronaut to orbit the Earth inside the NASA Mercury Project's Friendship 7 capsule on Feb. 20, 1962. Glenn later returned to space in October 1998 as a payload specialist aboard Discovery's STS-95 mission. Robinson was the payload commander of STS-95. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Scott Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Shuttle Discovery currently is being prepared for display at Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum, Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Va. Photo credit: Cory Huston KSC-2012-1452

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- John Glenn and NASA astronaut Stephen Robinson...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- John Glenn and NASA astronaut Stephen Robinson stand in the middeck of space shuttle Discovery in Orbiter Processing Facility-1 OPF-1 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Glenn is ... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. --Mercury astronaut Scott Carpenter speaks during the "On Shoulders of Giants" program celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with John Glenn's MA-6 mission on Feb. 20, 1962. The event was conducted in the Rocket Garden at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida a few miles from the launch pad where Glenn and Scott Carpenter took flight in Mercury spacecraft. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Scott Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Photo credit: Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-1513

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. --Mercury astronaut Scott Carpenter speaks during...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. --Mercury astronaut Scott Carpenter speaks during the "On Shoulders of Giants" program celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with John Glenn's MA-6 mission on Feb. ... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Mercury astronaut Scott Carpenter and his wife, Patricia, pose during a luncheon Feb. 17, 2012, celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with John Glenn's Mercury mission MA-6, on Feb. 20, 1962. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-1430

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Mercury astronaut Scott Carpenter and his wife,...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Mercury astronaut Scott Carpenter and his wife, Patricia, pose during a luncheon Feb. 17, 2012, celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with John Glenn's Mercury mi... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- John Glenn and NASA astronaut Stephen Robinson sit in the flight deck of space shuttle Discovery in Orbiter Processing Facility-1 OPF-1 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Glenn is at the space center to mark the 50th anniversary of being the first American astronaut to orbit the Earth inside the NASA Mercury Project's Friendship 7 capsule on Feb. 20, 1962. Glenn later returned to space in October 1998 as a payload specialist aboard Discovery's STS-95 mission. Robinson was the payload commander of STS-95. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Scott Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Shuttle Discovery currently is being prepared for display at Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum, Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Va. Photo credit: Cory Huston KSC-2012-1453

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- John Glenn and NASA astronaut Stephen Robinson...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- John Glenn and NASA astronaut Stephen Robinson sit in the flight deck of space shuttle Discovery in Orbiter Processing Facility-1 OPF-1 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Glenn i... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Former Kennedy Space Center directors Forrest McCartney and Roy Bridges join Annie Glenn, astronaut John Glenn and NASA Administrator Charles Bolden during a luncheon Feb. 17, 2012, celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with Glenn's Mercury mission MA-6, on Feb. 20, 1962. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Scott Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-1424

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Former Kennedy Space Center directors Forrest M...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Former Kennedy Space Center directors Forrest McCartney and Roy Bridges join Annie Glenn, astronaut John Glenn and NASA Administrator Charles Bolden during a luncheon Feb. 17, 2012, celeb... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- U.S. Rep. Bill Posey, left, prepares to ride in the Corvette parade following the "On Shoulders of Giants" program celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with Glenn's MA-6 mission on Feb. 20, 1962. The event was conducted in the Rocket Garden at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida a few miles from the launch pad where Glenn and Scott Carpenter took flight in Mercury spacecraft. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Scott Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Photo credit: Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-1504

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- U.S. Rep. Bill Posey, left, prepares to ride i...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- U.S. Rep. Bill Posey, left, prepares to ride in the Corvette parade following the "On Shoulders of Giants" program celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with Gle... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mercury astronaut Scott Carpenter listens to remarks during the "On Shoulders of Giants" program celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with John Glenn's MA-6 mission on Feb. 20, 1962. The event was conducted in the Rocket Garden at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida a few miles from the launch pad where Glenn and Scott Carpenter took flight in Mercury spacecraft. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Scott Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Photo credit: Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-1483

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mercury astronaut Scott Carpenter listens to r...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mercury astronaut Scott Carpenter listens to remarks during the "On Shoulders of Giants" program celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with John Glenn's MA-6 mis... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mercury astronaut John Glenn speaks during the "On Shoulders of Giants" program celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with Glenn's MA-6 mission on Feb. 20, 1962. The event was conducted in the Rocket Garden at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida a few miles from the launch pad where Glenn and Scott Carpenter took flight in Mercury spacecraft. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Scott Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Photo credit: Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-1491

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mercury astronaut John Glenn speaks during the...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mercury astronaut John Glenn speaks during the "On Shoulders of Giants" program celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with Glenn's MA-6 mission on Feb. 20, 1962.... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mercury astronaut Scott Carpenter, center, prepares to ride in the Corvette parade following the "On Shoulders of Giants" program celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with Glenn's MA-6 mission on Feb. 20, 1962. The event was conducted in the Rocket Garden at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida a few miles from the launch pad where Glenn and Carpenter took flight in Mercury spacecraft. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Scott Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Photo credit: Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-1500

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mercury astronaut Scott Carpenter, center, pre...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mercury astronaut Scott Carpenter, center, prepares to ride in the Corvette parade following the "On Shoulders of Giants" program celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. --Mercury astronaut John Glenn speaks during the "On Shoulders of Giants" program celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with Glenn's MA-6 mission on Feb. 20, 1962. The event was conducted in the Rocket Garden at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida a few miles from the launch pad where Glenn and Scott Carpenter took flight in Mercury spacecraft. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Scott Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Photo credit: Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-1512

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. --Mercury astronaut John Glenn speaks during the ...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. --Mercury astronaut John Glenn speaks during the "On Shoulders of Giants" program celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with Glenn's MA-6 mission on Feb. 20, 1962. ... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- John Glenn tours the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Glenn is at the space center to mark the 50th anniversary of being the first American astronaut to orbit the Earth inside the NASA Mercury Project's Friendship 7 capsule on Feb. 20, 1962. Glenn later returned to space in October 1998 as a payload specialist aboard space shuttle Discovery's STS-95 mission. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Scott Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Photo credit: Cory Huston KSC-2012-1463

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- John Glenn tours the Vehicle Assembly Building...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- John Glenn tours the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Glenn is at the space center to mark the 50th anniversary of being the first American astronaut ... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mercury astronauts, John Glenn, left, and Scott Carpenter, talk to Mercury Project workers and other guests in the Astronaut Encounter Theater at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. The pair participated in 50th anniversary events at the launch site of Glenn's first orbital flight aboard NASA's Friendship 7 capsule, which launched Feb. 20, 1962, aboard an Atlas rocket. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Photo credit: Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-1474

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mercury astronauts, John Glenn, left, and Scot...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mercury astronauts, John Glenn, left, and Scott Carpenter, talk to Mercury Project workers and other guests in the Astronaut Encounter Theater at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mercury astronaut Scott Carpenter, left, prepares to ride in the Corvette parade following the "On Shoulders of Giants" program celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with Glenn's MA-6 mission on Feb. 20, 1962. The event was conducted in the Rocket Garden at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida a few miles from the launch pad where Glenn and Carpenter took flight in Mercury spacecraft. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Scott Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Photo credit: Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-1503

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mercury astronaut Scott Carpenter, left, prepa...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mercury astronaut Scott Carpenter, left, prepares to ride in the Corvette parade following the "On Shoulders of Giants" program celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which b... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Mercury astronaut Scott Carpenter signs a poster celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with Glenn's Mercury mission MA-6, on Feb. 20, 1962. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Scott Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-1433

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Mercury astronaut Scott Carpenter signs a poste...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Mercury astronaut Scott Carpenter signs a poster celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with Glenn's Mercury mission MA-6, on Feb. 20, 1962. Glenn's launch aboard... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mercury astronaut Scott Carpenter speaks during the "On Shoulders of Giants" program celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with John Glenn's MA-6 mission on Feb. 20, 1962. The event was conducted in the Rocket Garden at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida a few miles from the launch pad where Glenn and Scott Carpenter took flight in Mercury spacecraft. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Scott Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Photo credit: Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-1493

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mercury astronaut Scott Carpenter speaks durin...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mercury astronaut Scott Carpenter speaks during the "On Shoulders of Giants" program celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with John Glenn's MA-6 mission on Feb.... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- John Glenn and his wife, Annie, and NASA astronaut Stephen Robinson stand under space shuttle Discovery in Orbiter Processing Facility-1 OPF-1 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Glenn is at the space center to mark the 50th anniversary of being the first American astronaut to orbit the Earth inside the NASA Mercury Project's Friendship 7 capsule on Feb. 20, 1962. Glenn later returned to space in October 1998 as a payload specialist aboard Discovery's STS-95 mission. Robinson was the payload commander of STS-95. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Scott Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Shuttle Discovery currently is being prepared for display at Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum, Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Va. Photo credit: Cory Huston KSC-2012-1444

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- John Glenn and his wife, Annie, and NASA astro...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- John Glenn and his wife, Annie, and NASA astronaut Stephen Robinson stand under space shuttle Discovery in Orbiter Processing Facility-1 OPF-1 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. ... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. --Mercury astronaut Scott Carpenter speaks during the "On Shoulders of Giants" program celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with John Glenn's MA-6 mission on Feb. 20, 1962. The event was conducted in the Rocket Garden at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida a few miles from the launch pad where Glenn and Scott Carpenter took flight in Mercury spacecraft. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Scott Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Photo credit: Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-1494

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. --Mercury astronaut Scott Carpenter speaks during...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. --Mercury astronaut Scott Carpenter speaks during the "On Shoulders of Giants" program celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with John Glenn's MA-6 mission on Feb. ... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. --A crowd looks on during the "On Shoulders of Giants" program celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with John Glenn's MA-6 mission on Feb. 20, 1962. The event was conducted in the Rocket Garden at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida a few miles from the launch pad where Glenn and Scott Carpenter took flight in Mercury spacecraft. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Scott Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Photo credit: Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-1509

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. --A crowd looks on during the "On Shoulders of Gi...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. --A crowd looks on during the "On Shoulders of Giants" program celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with John Glenn's MA-6 mission on Feb. 20, 1962. The event was ... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mercury astronauts Scott Carpenter, left, and John Glenn listen to remarks during the "On Shoulders of Giants" program celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with Glenn's MA-6 mission on Feb. 20, 1962. The event was conducted in the Rocket Garden at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida a few miles from the launch pad where Glenn and Carpenter took flight in Mercury spacecraft. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Photo credit: Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-1488

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mercury astronauts Scott Carpenter, left, and ...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mercury astronauts Scott Carpenter, left, and John Glenn listen to remarks during the "On Shoulders of Giants" program celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- STS-95 astronaut Steve Robinson speaks during the "On Shoulders of Giants" program celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with John Glenn's MA-6 mission on Feb. 20, 1962. The event was conducted in the Rocket Garden at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida a few miles from the launch pad where Glenn and Scott Carpenter took flight in Mercury spacecraft. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Scott Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Photo credit: Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-1510

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- STS-95 astronaut Steve Robinson speaks during ...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- STS-95 astronaut Steve Robinson speaks during the "On Shoulders of Giants" program celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with John Glenn's MA-6 mission on Feb. 2... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. --Mercury astronaut John Glenn speaks during the "On Shoulders of Giants" program celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with Glenn's MA-6 mission on Feb. 20, 1962. The event was conducted in the Rocket Garden at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida a few miles from the launch pad where Glenn and Scott Carpenter took flight in Mercury spacecraft. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Scott Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Photo credit: Cory Huston KSC-2012-1492

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. --Mercury astronaut John Glenn speaks during the ...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. --Mercury astronaut John Glenn speaks during the "On Shoulders of Giants" program celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with Glenn's MA-6 mission on Feb. 20, 1962. ... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- NASA Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana talks to guests in Orbiter Processing Facility-1 OPF-1 where space shuttle Discovery is being prepared for public display during a 50th anniversary celebration of the first orbital flight of an American. The astronaut who made that first flight, John Glenn, is at the space center to commemorate that achievement. Glenn orbited the Earth three times in the NASA Mercury Project's Friendship 7 capsule on Feb. 20, 1962. He later returned to space in October 1998 as a payload specialist aboard Discovery's STS-95 mission. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Scott Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Shuttle Discovery currently is being prepared for display at Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum, Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Va. Photo credit: Cory Huston KSC-2012-1446

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- NASA Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana ...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- NASA Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana talks to guests in Orbiter Processing Facility-1 OPF-1 where space shuttle Discovery is being prepared for public display during a 50th anni... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Astronaut Steve Robinson of STS-95, left, Cal Fowler, Launch test director during Mercury, U.S. Rep. Bill Posey, U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson and Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana listen to remarks during the "On Shoulders of Giants" program celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with John Glenn's MA-6 mission on Feb. 20, 1962. The event was conducted in the Rocket Garden at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida a few miles from the launch pad where Glenn and Scott Carpenter took flight in Mercury spacecraft. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Scott Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Photo credit: Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-1479

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Astronaut Steve Robinson of STS-95, left, Cal ...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Astronaut Steve Robinson of STS-95, left, Cal Fowler, Launch test director during Mercury, U.S. Rep. Bill Posey, U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson and Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana listen... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. --Mercury astronauts John Glenn, left, and Scott Carpenter sit in front of the plot board from the Mercury control center on display at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. The astronaut, part of the original class of seven astronauts chosen by NASA, was taking part in a question-and-answer session with the media as part of events celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with John Glenn's Mercury mission MA-6, on Feb. 20, 1962. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-1437

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. --Mercury astronauts John Glenn, left, and Scott ...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. --Mercury astronauts John Glenn, left, and Scott Carpenter sit in front of the plot board from the Mercury control center on display at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. ... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- John Glenn stands beside the wheel of space shuttle Discovery in Orbiter Processing Facility-1 OPF-1 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Glenn is at the space center to mark the 50th anniversary of being the first American astronaut to orbit the Earth inside the NASA Mercury Project's Friendship 7 capsule on Feb. 20, 1962. Glenn later returned to space in October 1998 as a payload specialist aboard Discovery's STS-95 mission. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Scott Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Shuttle Discovery currently is being prepared for display at Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum, Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Va. Photo credit: Cory Huston KSC-2012-1447

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- John Glenn stands beside the wheel of space sh...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- John Glenn stands beside the wheel of space shuttle Discovery in Orbiter Processing Facility-1 OPF-1 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Glenn is at the space center to mark the 5... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Former Kennedy Space Center directors Jay Honeycutt, left, Roy Bridges and NASA Administrator Charles Bolden talk with astronaut John Glenn before a luncheon Feb. 17, 2012 celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with Glenn's Mercury mission MA-6, on Feb. 20, 1962. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Scott Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-1414

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Former Kennedy Space Center directors Jay Honey...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Former Kennedy Space Center directors Jay Honeycutt, left, Roy Bridges and NASA Administrator Charles Bolden talk with astronaut John Glenn before a luncheon Feb. 17, 2012 celebrating 50 ... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Former Mercury astronaut Scott Carpenter, left, and former Kennedy Space Center directors Jay Honeycutt, Bob Crippen, Forrest McCartney and Roy Bridges listen during a luncheon Feb. 17, 2012, celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with Glenn's Mercury mission MA-6, on Feb. 20, 1962. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Scott Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-1419

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Former Mercury astronaut Scott Carpenter, left,...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Former Mercury astronaut Scott Carpenter, left, and former Kennedy Space Center directors Jay Honeycutt, Bob Crippen, Forrest McCartney and Roy Bridges listen during a luncheon Feb. 17, 2... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mercury astronaut Scott Carpenter sits in front of the plot board from the Mercury control center on display at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. The astronaut, part of the original class of seven astronauts chosen by NASA, was taking part in a question-and-answer session with the media as part of events celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with John Glenn's Mercury mission MA-6, on Feb. 20, 1962. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-1436

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mercury astronaut Scott Carpenter sits in fron...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mercury astronaut Scott Carpenter sits in front of the plot board from the Mercury control center on display at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. The astronaut, part o... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mercury astronaut John Glenn speaks during the "On Shoulders of Giants" program celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with Glenn's MA-6 mission on Feb. 20, 1962. The event was conducted in the Rocket Garden at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida a few miles from the launch pad where Glenn and Scott Carpenter took flight in Mercury spacecraft. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Scott Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Photo credit: Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-1490

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mercury astronaut John Glenn speaks during the...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mercury astronaut John Glenn speaks during the "On Shoulders of Giants" program celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with Glenn's MA-6 mission on Feb. 20, 1962.... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. --Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana, left, prepares to ride in the Corvette parade following the "On Shoulders of Giants" program celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with Glenn's MA-6 mission on Feb. 20, 1962. The event was conducted in the Rocket Garden at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida a few miles from the launch pad where Glenn and Scott Carpenter took flight in Mercury spacecraft. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Scott Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Photo credit: Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-1499

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. --Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana, left,...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. --Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana, left, prepares to ride in the Corvette parade following the "On Shoulders of Giants" program celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era w... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mercury astronauts, John Glenn, left, and Scott Carpenter, talk to Mercury Project workers and other guests in the Astronaut Encounter Theater at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. The pair participated in 50th anniversary events at the launch site of Glenn's first orbital flight aboard NASA's Friendship 7 capsule, which launched Feb. 20, 1962, aboard an Atlas rocket. At right, is Jack King, who was chief of Kennedy's Public Information Office during Project Mercury. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Photo credit: Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-1473

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mercury astronauts, John Glenn, left, and Scot...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mercury astronauts, John Glenn, left, and Scott Carpenter, talk to Mercury Project workers and other guests in the Astronaut Encounter Theater at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Former Kennedy Space Center directors Forrest McCartney, left, and Roy Bridges, center, listen with Annie Glenn during a luncheon Feb. 17, 2012, celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with Glenn's Mercury mission MA-6, on Feb. 20, 1962. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Scott Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-1420

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Former Kennedy Space Center directors Forrest M...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Former Kennedy Space Center directors Forrest McCartney, left, and Roy Bridges, center, listen with Annie Glenn during a luncheon Feb. 17, 2012, celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -NASA Administrator Charles Bolden, left, talks with astronaut John Glenn following a luncheon Feb. 17, 2012, celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with Glenn's Mercury mission MA-6, on Feb. 20, 1962. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Scott Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-1431

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -NASA Administrator Charles Bolden, left, talks w...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -NASA Administrator Charles Bolden, left, talks with astronaut John Glenn following a luncheon Feb. 17, 2012, celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with Glenn's Mer... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- NASA astronaut Stephen Robinson sits at the controls in the flight deck of space shuttle Discovery in Orbiter Processing Facility-1 OPF-1 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Robinson is helping John Glenn mark the 50th anniversary of being the first American astronaut to orbit the Earth inside the NASA Mercury Project's Friendship 7 capsule on Feb. 20, 1962. Glenn later returned to space in October 1998 as a payload specialist aboard Discovery's STS-95 mission. Robinson was the payload commander of STS-95. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Scott Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Shuttle Discovery currently is being prepared for display at Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum, Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Va. Photo credit: Cory Huston KSC-2012-1456

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- NASA astronaut Stephen Robinson sits at the co...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- NASA astronaut Stephen Robinson sits at the controls in the flight deck of space shuttle Discovery in Orbiter Processing Facility-1 OPF-1 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Robin... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- John Glenn and his wife, Annie, left, enter Orbiter Processing Facility-1 OPF-1 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida where space shuttle Discovery is being prepared for public display. Glenn is at the space center to mark the 50th anniversary of being the first American astronaut to orbit the Earth inside the NASA Mercury Project's Friendship 7 capsule on Feb. 20, 1962. Glenn later returned to space in October 1998 as a payload specialist aboard Discovery's STS-95 mission. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Scott Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Shuttle Discovery currently is being prepared for display at Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum, Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Va. Photo credit: Cory Huston KSC-2012-1443

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- John Glenn and his wife, Annie, left, enter Or...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- John Glenn and his wife, Annie, left, enter Orbiter Processing Facility-1 OPF-1 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida where space shuttle Discovery is being prepared for public displ... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson speaks during the "On Shoulders of Giants" program celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with John Glenn's MA-6 mission on Feb. 20, 1962. The event was conducted in the Rocket Garden at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida a few miles from the launch pad where Glenn and Scott Carpenter took flight in Mercury spacecraft. Glenn's launch aboard an Atlas rocket took with it the hopes of an entire nation and ushered in a new era of space travel that eventually led to Americans walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Glenn soon was followed into orbit by Scott Carpenter, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper. Their fellow Mercury astronauts Alan Shepard and Virgil "Gus" Grissom flew earlier suborbital flights. Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, was grounded by a medical condition until the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Photo credit: Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-1507

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson speaks during the "On Sh...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson speaks during the "On Shoulders of Giants" program celebrating 50 years of Americans in orbit, an era which began with John Glenn's MA-6 mission on Feb. 20, 1962. T... More

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