Space mission · NASA
Friendship 7 (Mercury-Atlas 6)
ExplorationCompletedLaunched 1962-02-20
Mission overview
Friendship 7 carried John Glenn on the first United States orbital spaceflight, three orbits of the Earth.
Outcome & discoveries
Glenn became the first American to orbit the Earth.
Mission profile
Crew
Knowledge connections
- Operated byNASA
- Part of programProject Mercury
- Launched fromCape Canaveral Space Force Station
- Mission includesJohn Glenn
- Associated withGlenn Becomes the First American to Orbit the Earth
Related missions
| Mission | Type | Agency | Launch | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freedom 7 (Mercury-Redstone 3) | Crewed suborbital | NASA | 1961-05-05 | Completed |
Sources
The primary and reference sources this topic draws on.
- NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administration
Mission data, planetary science, space telescopes, and public-domain imagery.
Most NASA-produced imagery is in the public domain; individual items are checked for usage terms before publication.