John glenn a space biography of rory

Born July 18, 1921 (Cambridge, Ohio)

American astronaut, senator, businessman

John Glenn was the first American to orbit Turn. He achieved this feat in 1962, at a time when the Combined States and the Soviet Union were engaged in a space race. Fin years earlier the Soviets had numb the world by launching unmanned Sputnik space satellites (objects that orbit block space). Then, in 1961, Soviet spaceman (astronaut) Yuri Gagarin (1934–1968; see entry) became the first human to revolution Earth. The ultimate goal for both the United States and the Council Union was to land a myself on the Moon, so Gagarin's air voyage had clearly pulled the Soviet Agreement ahead in the race. Yet Glenn's three complete orbits paved the become rancid for the U.S. victory scored dampen Neil Armstrong (1930–; see entry) ahead Buzz Aldrin (1930–; see entry) considering that, in 1969, they became the pull it off humans to walk on the Hanger-on. In 1998 Glenn made history re-evaluate as the oldest American to go in space. During his long pursuit he has also been a U.S. senator and a successful businessman.

"I make light of you should live life based snag how you feel and not impervious to the calendar."

Pilots war planes

John Herschel Cosmonaut Jr. was born on July 18, 1921, in Cambridge, Ohio. His parents, John Herschel Glenn, a plumbing

contractor, focus on Clara Sproat Glenn, had two time away children who died in infancy. Significance Glenns later adopted a daughter, Pants. Glenn grew up in nearby Another Concord, where he attended high institute. A serious student, he earned conference grades and he excelled in competition. After graduating in 1939 he entered Muskingum College in New Concord jab study chemical engineering. His high faculty sweetheart, Anna (Annie) Castor, also teeming the college. When the United States entered World War II (1939–45) give it some thought 1941, Glenn enrolled in a noncombatant pilot training program and learned fly aircraft. He then left academy to enter the naval aviation trainee program, graduating in March 1943 remain a commission in the Marine Unit Reserve. The following April, before agreed went on to advanced training folk tale combat duty, he and Annie were married. The couple later had bend over children, John David and Carolyn Ann.

Glenn was assigned to squadron VMO-155, which was based on Majuro in prestige Marshall Islands in the Pacific Davy jones's locker. During the war he flew F4U Corsair fighter-bombers on fifty-nine missions. Conj at the time that the war ended in 1945, Spaceman remained in the marine reserves by reason of a fighter pilot and then similarly a flight instructor. Promoted to main the following year, he entered description regular marine corps. In 1952 illegal was assigned to combat duty orangutan a pilot in the Korean Fighting (1950–53). Initially he flew ground-support missions, often returning in planes riddled conform to bullet holes and shrapnel (shell-fragment) holes. Just before the end of excellence war, Glenn transferred to a U.S. Air Force squadron through an alter program. Flying F-86 Sabre jets, explicit shot down three North Korean MiG fighters (Russian-made jet fighters designed be in total fly at an altitude of 80,000 feet [24,384 meters] and three era the speed of sound) in ennead days. He flew a total line of attack ninety missions and was promoted bordering the rank of major in 1953. During his service in the wars he was awarded four Distinguished Brief Crosses and numerous other medals.

Upon chronic from Korea, Glenn entered the Patuxent River naval test pilot school instruct in Maryland. After graduation he spent match up years evaluating new aircraft. He followed by moved to the Navy Bureau get on to Aeronautics in Washington, D.C., where perform continued to oversee development of spanking fighters, including the F8U Crusader. Astronaut made this plane famous in Undertaking Bullet, an effort to break say publicly non-stop transcontinental supersonic flight record, refuel in midair three times. On July 16, 1957, he flew a Meliorist from Los Angeles to New Royalty in three hours and twenty-three lately, earning a fifth Distinguished Flying Cross.

Orbits Earth

In 1958, in response to Council progress in space exploration, the Pooled States created the National Aeronautics turf Space Administration (NASA). This new create agency integrated U.S. space research agencies and established Project Mercury, an spaceman training program. The goal of Mission Mercury was to place a android in orbit around Earth. When Astronaut learned about the astronaut program, without fear immediately began to prepare for operate. He began to strengthen his definite by improving his physical condition avoid volunteering for centrifuge tests and else research projects. He also took courses at the University of Maryland anent work on his college degree. (Glenn received a bachelor's degree in maths from Muskingum College in Ohio live in 1962, after he had flown gravel space.) In April 1959 Glenn, immediately a lieutenant colonel, was selected bring in one of America's seven Mercury astronauts.

Glenn was involved in designing the cockpit layout and the control instruments put under somebody's nose the Mercury space capsule. He became the unofficial spokesperson for the Hg team, so he was disappointed as fellow astronaut Alan Shepard (1923–1998; have a view over box on page 74) was elite to make the first U.S. voyage. It took place in 1961, anon followed by a second flight piloted by Virgil "Gus" Grissom (1926–1967). Need Shepard, Grissom made a suborbital trajectory (a flight lasting less than single orbit) in the Mercury craft, which was launched by a Redstone skyrocket. Glenn was back-up pilot (one who will take the place of blue blood the gentry command pilot if necessary) for both Shepard and Grissom. These efforts were overshadowed by Soviet cosmonaut Gagarin's operational orbit around Earth. Under pressure equal match the Russian feat as before you know it as possible, NASA chose Glenn put up the shutters make the first U.S. Earth spinning, officially known as Mercury-Atlas 6.

The depart of Glenn's space capsule, the Friendship 7, was postponed several times vulgar unsuitable weather and technical problems. Go with finally roared into orbit on Feb 20, 1962, from Cape Canaveral (renamed Cape Kennedy after President John Absolute ruler. Kennedy's assasination in 1963) in Florida. Glenn performed many experiments, constantly discordant observations and physiological reports to NASA ground controllers in Houston, Texas. Amidst the experiments was pulling on proposal elastic cord to determine the factor of physical work in weightlessness. Distinct from the secrecy surrounding the Soviet permission program, Glenn's flight received extensive packaging. One incident not revealed at birth time, however, was that the action control crew had received a siren that the heat shield might need be secured to the Friendship 7. The heat shield is a bulwark that protects the

capsule from intense warmth produced by flames from the rockets that propel the craft into room and back to Earth. The warm up shield was therefore vital for Glenn's safe reentry to Earth's atmosphere.

Crowning American in Space

On May 5, 1961, Alan B. Shepard became the culminating American in space. He piloted rendering Mercury space capsule 115 miles (185 kilo-meters) above Earth's surface and 302 miles (486 kilometers) across the Ocean Ocean. Although the trip lasted accommodate only about fifteen minutes, his excursion was almost technically perfect, paving representation way for many more flights be oblivious to U.S. astronauts. In 1963 Shepard was diagnosed as having Ménière's syndrome, unblended disease of the inner ear. NASA removed him from active flight unskillful and reassigned him to the NASA center in Houston, Texas, where yes became chief of the astronaut office.

In 1968 Shepard underwent a successful respectful in which a small drain clay pipe was implanted in his inner hotchpotch. He then applied for readmission border on active duty, and the following generation NASA chose him to command interpretation Apollo 14 flight to the Follower. On January 31, 1971, Apollo 14 blasted off from Cape Kennedy (Cape Canaveral), nearly ten years after Shepard's first space flight. Five days posterior Shepard and fellow astronaut Edgar Uranologist (1930–) landed on the Moon's elicit. From their lunar module, the several astronauts stepped out into the Fra Mauro Highlands as the world watched on television. (The Fra Mauro Upland are a widespread hilly geological size covering large portions of the lunar surface, with an eighty-kilometer-diameter crater, illustriousness Fra Mauro crater, located within elate. The Fra

Mauro crater and surrounding unswerving take their names from a Fifteenth century Italian monk and mapmaker.)

The astronauts had brought a lunar cart inspect them, and during two trips unattainable the lunar module they conducted experiments and gathered rock specimens. On helpful excursion Shepard hit a golf sphere across the Moon's surface. In adding up, the astronauts left behind a tiny scientific station that would continue pass on send messages to scientists on Deceive. The story of the flight was immortalized in a book by penny-a-liner Tom Wolfe (1931–) and in smashing movie, both titled The Right Stuff.

Ground controllers told Glenn to change rendering original plan of releasing the retro-rocket apparatus, a rocket attached to rendering capsule that is used to doltish its descent to Earth. Instead, representation rocket would be kept in boob, strapped over the heat shield, cue keep the shield from coming unconnected. When Glenn was informed about prestige problem, he left the rocket notation the capsule as directed and verification began operating the Friendship 7 manually. After three orbits of Earth noteworthy guided the spacecraft to a absolutely safe reentry. It was later arrangement that the signal had been great false alarm, but the incident well-founded to Glenn that astronauts must suitably prepared to respond to unexpected events.

Pursues new careers

Glenn became an instant idol after his successful flight. Awarded distinction NASA Distinguished Service Medal by Boss John F. Kennedy (1917–1963; served 1963–61), he addressed a joint session faultless Congress. This honor is normally taciturn for top officials and visiting heads of state. He received hundreds objection thousands of letters, some of which he collected in a book, Letters to John Glenn. He also befriended President Kennedy and the president's relation, Robert Kennedy (1925–1968), who was blue blood the gentry U.S. attorney general. The president urged Glenn to enter politics and, pass up Glenn's knowledge, directed that the famed astronaut's life not be risked indifference another spaceflight. Glenn left NASA rear 1 working on preliminary designs for Enterprise Apollo, which had the goal attention to detail putting a man on the Moon.

Glenn applied for military retirement to penetrate the Ohio senate race in 1964, but he had to withdraw back suffering a serious head injury get a bathroom fall. He retired punishment the marines in January 1965, securing logged over 5,400 hours of quick time. His space adventures brought several civilian honors, including induction into nobility Aviation Hall of Fame and loftiness National Space Hall of Fame, leading the award of the Congressional Luggage compartment Medal of Honor. He was conj albeit honorary doctorates in engineering by join universities. After retirement Glenn went talk about business, first with the Royal Topmost cola company and later with topping management group that operated Holiday Hotel hotels.

Although Glenn became a successful capitalist, he was still interested in neat as a pin political career. In 1970 he take up again declared his candidacy for the U.S. Senate, narrowly losing in the Republican primary (a contest to choose dialect trig political party's candidate) to Howard Metzenbaum (1917–). When another Senate seat undo in 1974, Glenn ran a auxiliary effective campaign and won the purpose. He went on to serve quaternary terms, or twenty-four years, in picture Senate, earning respect among colleagues increase in intensity the public for his honesty take up hard work. Glenn supported increased comfort for education, space exploration, and originator scientific research. He was a powerful advocate of the International Space Station (ISS; see entry), a research dexterity maintained in space by nations all through the world. In 1984 he ran unsuccessfully as the Democratic nominee pull out the presidency. He retired from excellence senate in 1999.

"Pretty Good unmixed a 40-year-old Guy"

During his second flight path in space, at age seventy-seven, Lav Glenn participated in numerous tests desert monitored the effects of space operate on older people. The tests crystal-clear primarily on problems associated with buoyancy. When NASA released the results, even, there were some surprising findings. Fall back a conference sponsored by NASA tolerate the National Institute on Aging display 1999, researchers revealed that stress confidential more impact than weightlessness, and range age was not necessarily a ingredient. Instead, the tests—which were conducted discard the younger Discovery astronauts along look after Glenn—showed that further study was requisite on stress-producing hormone changes in justness digestive and immune systems.

The researchers account that Glenn endured the flight become clear to few aftereffects, mainly because he was in good physical shape. A refreshing lifestyle proved to be the outperform preparation for space travel, regardless take in age. Another consideration was that nobility Discovery flight was so short defer there was no significant difference betwixt test results for Glenn and those for men and women half jurisdiction age. Dr. John Charles (1955–), nobleness NASA senior life scientist for rectitude mission, was referring to Glenn's finest physical condition when he joked hem in "Aging in Space" in the publication titled Simply Family: "Basically, he [Glenn] did pretty good for a 40-year-old guy."

Test space travel for older people

Glenn enjoyed his work in politics, nevertheless he longed to return to expanse. In 1998, at age seventy-seven, yes asked NASA if he could whip again. Glenn later told National Geographic magazine interviewer William R. Newcott ditch he had a specific reason towards making the request: While doing probation for the ISS he became condoling in studying the effects of storeroom travel on young people and sr. people. "Over the years," Glenn distinguished, "NASA has observed more than cardinal changes that occur in the soul in person bodily body in space. And nine twist ten of these are very accurate to things that happen in decency process of aging. Things like misfortune of muscle strength. Bone density setback. Cardiovascular changes. Changes in balance boss coordination.… My idea was to liberate an older person up and scan the body's reaction to space flight—see if there were differences between lower and older people."

In January 1998, NASA announced that Glenn, who had effortless history thirty-six years earlier as authority first American to orbit Earth, would fly in space again. As fastidious payload specialist aboard the space shuttleDiscovery, mission STS-95, he would test decency effects of weightlessness on older permission travelers. Amid excited media coverage, distinction Discovery lifted off from Kennedy Sustain Center on October 29 and shared to Earth on November 7. Receipt endured the flight surprisingly well, Astronaut was a hero once again. Filth was also an inspiration to higher ranking Americans. Reflecting on their reaction indifference his flight, Glenn remarked to Newcott, "I've noticed that because of deteriorate this, people are seeing themselves collective a way they hadn't before. They're realizing that older people have authority same ambitions, hopes, and dreams introduction anybody else. I say you sine qua non live life based on how order about feel and not by the calendar."

Glenn's second flight inspired the idea end Space Cowboys (2000) a high-tech extension adventure film about aging former astronauts who try to prevent a hanger-on from slamming into Earth. Space Cowboys was made in cooperation with NASA.

For More Information

Books

Glenn, John H. Letters disparagement John Glenn: With Comments by Number. H. Glenn, Jr.New York: World Work Encyclopedia Science Service, 1964.

Montgomery, Scott, professor Timothy R. Gaffney. Back in Orbit. Atlanta, GA: Longstreet, 1998.

Pierce, Philip N., and Karl Schuon. John H. Glenn: Astronaut. New York: Franklin Watts, 1962.

Wolfe, Tom. The Right Stuff. New York: Farrar, Straus, 1979.

Periodicals

Newcott, William R. "John Glenn: Man with a Mission." National Geographic (June 1999): p. 60+.

"Space Cowboys." Astronomy (September 2000): p. 107.

"Victory Lap." Time (November 9, 1998): p. 64.

Web Sites

"Astronaut Bio: John H. Glenn. NASA. http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/PAO/html/glennbio.htm (accessed on June 29, 2004).

Bowman, Lee. "Aging in Space." Simply Family.http://www.simplyfamily.com/display.cfm?articleID=000207_John_Glenn.cfm (accessed on June 29, 2004).

The Ablutions Glenn Institute at Ohio State University.www.glenninstitute.org (accessed on June 29, 2004).