Mercury-Atlas 6

Mercury-Atlas 6 (MA-6) was the first United States orbital spaceflight, launched on February 20, 1962, as part of Project Mercury. Piloted by astronaut John Glenn, the 'Friendship 7' spacecraft completed three orbits of the Earth, making Glenn the first American to orbit the planet. The mission lasted nearly five hours and was a critical milestone in proving the United States' capability in human space exploration. Despite a faulty sensor indicating that the heat shield might have come loose, the mission concluded successfully with a splashdown in the Atlantic Ocean. The flight restored national confidence and paved the way for more ambitious missions under the Gemini and Apollo programs.