Synopsis
This film "The American in Orbit" recounts the flight of Col. John H. Glenn, Jr. On February 20, 1962, Colonel John Glenn made history as the first American to orbit the Earth aboard the Friendship 7 spacecraft, launched from Cape Canaveral atop an Atlas rocket. After months of preparation and delays, Glenn’s successful mission marked a critical moment in the space race, following the earlier Soviet and American milestones. Traveling at 17,500 miles per hour, he completed three orbits over nearly five hours, enduring intense forces and extreme heat during re-entry. Safely recovered by the U.S. Navy, Glenn was celebrated as a national hero, receiving the Distinguished Service Medal and widespread acclaim, including a standing ovation in Congress. His accomplishment symbolized American ingenuity and inspired hope for the peaceful exploration of space. 0:00 — Dawn breaks at Cape Canaveral as Colonel John Glenn prepares for his historic Mercury mission atop the Atlas missile, marking the start of a monumental day. 1:27 — Glenn’s flight occurs ten months after Yuri Gagarin’s groundbreaking orbit and follows Alan Shepard’s suborbital journey; the world watches closely as the U.S. aims to catch up in the space race. 2:38 — The Atlas rocket launches with Glenn aboard, subjecting him to six times the force of gravity as he begins his pioneering orbit around Earth. 4:18 — Orbiting at 17,500 miles per hour, Glenn completes an 81,000-mile journey in approximately 90 minutes and survives…
Uploader's description on archive.org
Details
- Running time
- 8 minutes
- Language
- English
- Collection
- Ephemeral Films
Subjects on the Internet Archive
- Stock Footage