John glenn biography nasa federal credit union

Born July 18, 1921 (Cambridge, Ohio)

American astronaut, senator, businessman

John Glenn was the first Inhabitant to orbit Earth. He done this feat in 1962, submit a time when the Pooled States and the Soviet Agreement were engaged in a distance race.

Five years earlier greatness Soviets had stunned the universe by launching unmanned Sputnik continue satellites (objects that orbit tension space). Then, in 1961, Land cosmonaut (astronaut) Yuri Gagarin (1934–1968; see entry) became the have control over human to orbit Earth. Class ultimate goal for both say publicly United States and the Country Union was to land smart person on the Moon, like so Gagarin's flight had clearly pulled the Soviet Union ahead contain the race.

Yet Glenn's pair complete orbits paved the turn for the U.S. victory scored by Neil Armstrong (1930–; give onto entry) and Buzz Aldrin (1930–; see entry) when, in 1969, they became the first people to walk on the Hanger-on. In 1998 Glenn made life again as the oldest Land to travel in space. Cloth his long career he has also been a U.S.

congresswoman and a successful businessman.

"I disclose you should live life homegrown on how you feel instruct not by the calendar."

Pilots contention planes

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

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contractor, and Clara Sproat Glenn, abstruse two other children who petit mal in infancy.

The Glenns afterward adopted a daughter, Jean. Cosmonaut grew up in nearby Newfound Concord, where he attended tall school. A serious student, recognized earned top grades and purify excelled in athletics. After graduating in 1939 he entered Muskingum College in New Concord cross-reference study chemical engineering. His elevated school sweetheart, Anna (Annie) Beaver, also attended the college.

Considering that the United States entered False War II (1939–45) in 1941, Glenn enrolled in a neutral pilot training program and knowledgeable to fly aircraft. He hence left college to enter honourableness naval aviation cadet program, graduating in March 1943 with fine commission in the Marine Body of men Reserve. The following April, formerly he went on to forwardlooking training and combat duty, grace and Annie were married.

Interpretation couple later had two lineage, John David and Carolyn Ann.

Glenn was assigned to squadron VMO-155, which was based on Majuro in the Marshall Islands boring the Pacific Ocean. During integrity war he flew F4U Pirate fighter-bombers on fifty-nine missions. Just as the war ended in 1945, Glenn remained in the nautical reserves as a fighter exploratory and then as a course instructor.

Promoted to captain prestige following year, he entered magnanimity regular marine corps. In 1952 he was assigned to face duty as a pilot see the point of the Korean War (1950–53). Originally he flew ground-support missions, many a time returning in planes riddled dictate bullet holes and shrapnel (shell-fragment) holes.

Just before the go to the bottom of the war, Glenn transferred to a U.S. Air Energy squadron through an exchange syllabus. Flying F-86 Sabre jets, illegal shot down three North Peninsula MiG fighters (Russian-made jet fighters designed to fly at sting altitude of 80,000 feet [24,384 meters] and three times probity speed of sound) in niner days. He flew a total number of ninety missions and was promoted to the rank bring into the light major in 1953.

During service in the wars closure was awarded four Distinguished Momentary Crosses and numerous other medals.

Upon returning from Korea, Glenn entered the Patuxent River naval eat pilot school in Maryland. Later graduation he spent two days evaluating new aircraft. He mistreatment moved to the Navy Office of Aeronautics in Washington, D.C., where he continued to watch over development of new fighters, inclusive of the F8U Crusader.

Glenn uncomplicated this plane famous in Post Bullet, an effort to get around the non-stop transcontinental supersonic winging record, refueling in midair tierce times. On July 16, 1957, he flew a Crusader deseed Los Angeles to New Royalty in three hours and 23 minutes, earning a fifth Famous Flying Cross.

Orbits Earth

In 1958, donation response to Soviet progress play a part space exploration, the United States created the National Aeronautics move Space Administration (NASA).

This creative government agency integrated U.S. luggage compartment research agencies and established Effort Mercury, an astronaut training announcement. The goal of Project Intermediary was to place a hominoid in orbit around Earth. Conj at the time that Glenn learned about the traveller program, he immediately began follow a line of investigation prepare for application.

He began to strengthen his qualifications past as a consequence o improving his physical condition unthinkable volunteering for centrifuge tests opinion other research projects. He likewise took courses at the Doctrine of Maryland to work form his college degree. (Glenn standard a bachelor's degree in science from Muskingum College in River in 1962, after he difficult flown in space.) In Apr 1959 Glenn, now a helper colonel, was selected as of a nature of America's seven Mercury astronauts.

Glenn was involved in designing loftiness cockpit layout and the relentless instruments for the Mercury permission capsule.

He became the unauthorized spokesperson for the Mercury body, so he was disappointed conj at the time that fellow astronaut Alan Shepard (1923–1998; see box on page 74) was chosen to make character first U.S. spaceflight. It took place in 1961, shortly followed by a second flight piloted by Virgil "Gus" Grissom (1926–1967). Like Shepard, Grissom made far-out suborbital flight (a flight permanent less than one orbit) ancestry the Mercury craft, which was launched by a Redstone wing climb.

Glenn was back-up pilot (one who will take the controller of the command pilot providing necessary) for both Shepard status Grissom. These efforts were overshadowed by Soviet cosmonaut Gagarin's masterpiece orbit around Earth. Under energy to match the Russian hit as soon as possible, NASA chose Glenn to make depiction first U.S. Earth orbit, outwardly known as Mercury-Atlas 6.

The father of Glenn's space capsule, excellence Friendship 7, was postponed many times by unsuitable weather very last technical problems.

It finally roared into orbit on February 20, 1962, from Cape Canaveral (renamed Cape Kennedy after President Privy F. Kennedy's assasination in 1963) in Florida. Glenn performed uncountable experiments, constantly giving observations additional physiological reports to NASA minister controllers in Houston, Texas.

Halfway the experiments was pulling intensification an elastic cord to fasten the effects of physical office in weightlessness. Unlike the stealth surrounding the Soviet space curriculum, Glenn's flight received extensive build-up. One incident not revealed throw in the towel the time, however, was wander the ground control crew abstruse received a signal that loftiness heat shield might not break down secured to the Friendship 7. The heat shield is orderly panel that protects the

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capsule pass up intense heat produced by blaze from the rockets that droop the craft into space direct back to Earth.

The hotness shield was therefore vital financial assistance Glenn's safe reentry to Earth's atmosphere.

First American in Space

On May 5, 1961, Alan Ham-fisted. Shepard became the first Denizen in space. He piloted picture Mercury space capsule 115 miles (185 kilo-meters) above Earth's even and 302 miles (486 kilometers) across the Atlantic Ocean.

Even though the trip lasted for one about fifteen minutes, his voyage was almost technically perfect, pavement the way for many broaden flights by U.S. astronauts. Complicated 1963 Shepard was diagnosed despite the fact that having Ménière's syndrome, a ailment of the inner ear. NASA removed him from active excursion duty and reassigned him revivify the NASA center in Metropolis, Texas, where he became central of the astronaut office.

In 1968 Shepard underwent a successful development in which a small pipe tube was implanted in climax inner ear.

He then managing for readmission to active job, and the following year NASA chose him to command representation Apollo 14 flight to blue blood the gentry Moon. On January 31, 1971, Apollo 14 blasted off put on the back burner Cape Kennedy (Cape Canaveral), almost ten years after Shepard's extreme space flight. Five days ulterior Shepard and fellow astronaut Edgar Mitchell (1930–) landed on interpretation Moon's surface.

From their lunar module, the two astronauts stepped out into the Fra Mauro Highlands as the world watched on television. (The Fra Mauro Highlands are a widespread unruffled geological area covering large portions of the lunar surface, friendliness an eighty-kilometer-diameter crater, the Fra Mauro crater, located within destroy.

The Fra

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Mauro crater and neighbouring formation take their names shake off a 15th century Italian 1 and mapmaker.)

The astronauts had prone a lunar cart with them, and during two trips difficult to get to the lunar module they conducted experiments and gathered rock specimens. On one excursion Shepard knock a golf ball across honesty Moon's surface.

In addition, justness astronauts left behind a minor scientific station that would jam to send messages to scientists on Earth. The story support the flight was immortalized enfold a book by author Break Wolfe (1931–) and in swell movie, both titled The Pull up Stuff.

Ground controllers told Glenn give permission change the original plan flash releasing the retro-rocket apparatus, neat as a pin rocket attached to the enclose that is used to thrash its descent to Earth.

As an alternative, the rocket would be aloof in place, strapped over authority heat shield, to keep blue blood the gentry shield from coming loose. Like that which Glenn was informed about loftiness problem, he left the shoot up on the capsule as sure and then began operating greatness Friendship 7 manually.

After iii orbits of Earth he guided the spacecraft to a completely safe reentry. It was subsequent determined that the signal locked away been a false alarm, on the other hand the incident proved to Spaceman that astronauts must be brace yourself to respond to unexpected events.

Pursues new careers

Glenn became an pressing hero after his successful winging.

Awarded the NASA Distinguished Attack Medal by President John Monarch. Kennedy (1917–1963; served 1963–61), subside addressed a joint session forestall Congress. This honor is in the usual way reserved for top officials very last visiting heads of state. Take steps received hundreds of thousands disregard letters, some of which explicit collected in a book, Letters to John Glenn. He very befriended President Kennedy and probity president's brother, Robert Kennedy (1925–1968), who was the U.S.

lawyer general. The president urged Senator to enter politics and, out Glenn's knowledge, directed that magnanimity famous astronaut's life not attach risked by another spaceflight. Spaceman left NASA after working assertion preliminary designs for Project Phoebus, which had the goal scrupulous putting a man on high-mindedness Moon.

Glenn applied for military wasteland to enter the Ohio mother of parliaments race in 1964, but sharp-tasting had to withdraw after heartbroken a serious head injury comport yourself a bathroom fall.

He hidden from the marines in Jan 1965, having logged over 5,400 hours of flying time. Coronate space adventures brought numerous noncombatant honors, including induction into greatness Aviation Hall of Fame shaft the National Space Hall be advantageous to Fame, and the award clone the Congressional Space Medal submit Honor.

He was granted title only doctorates in engineering by join universities. After retirement Glenn went into business, first with rectitude Royal Crown cola company prep added to later with a management appoint that operated Holiday Inn hotels.

Although Glenn became a successful homme d`affaires, he was still interested have as a feature a political career.

In 1970 he again declared his cause for the U.S. Senate, hardly losing in the Democratic head (a contest to choose copperplate political party's candidate) to Queen Metzenbaum (1917–). When another Council seat opened in 1974, Astronaut ran a more effective crusade and won the election. Crystalclear went on to serve cardinal terms, or twenty-four years, conduct yourself the Senate, earning respect amidst colleagues and the public accommodate his honesty and hard reading.

Glenn supported increased funding take possession of education, space exploration, and primary scientific research. He was practised strong advocate of the International Space Station (ISS; see entry), a research facility maintained lure space by nations throughout high-mindedness world.

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In 1984 unquestionable ran unsuccessfully as the Selfgoverning nominee for the presidency. Recognized retired from the senate teeny weeny 1999.

"Pretty Good for deft 40-year-old Guy"

During his second line in space, at age lxxvii, John Glenn participated in several tests that monitored the tool of space travel on elderly people.

The tests focused chiefly on problems associated with lightness. When NASA released the piddling products, however, there were some astonishing findings. At a conference fairyed godmother by NASA and the Resolute Institute on Aging in 1999, researchers revealed that stress difficult to understand more impact than weightlessness, spell that age was not consequently a factor.

Instead, the tests—which were conducted on the junior Discovery astronauts along with Glenn—showed that further study was mandatory on stress-producing hormone changes think about it the digestive and immune systems.

The researchers reported that Glenn endured the flight with few crapulence, mainly because he was sully good physical shape.

A fit lifestyle proved to be leadership best preparation for space proceed, regardless of age. Another control was that the Discovery course was so short that helter-skelter was no significant difference mid test results for Glenn suggest those for men and unit half his age. Dr. Lav Charles (1955–), the NASA known life scientist for the flux, was referring to Glenn's decent physical condition when he joked in "Aging in Space" well-heeled the magazine titled Simply Family: "Basically, he [Glenn] did cute good for a 40-year-old guy."

Test space travel for older people

Glenn enjoyed his work in civics, but he longed to reappear to space.

In 1998, equal age seventy-seven, he asked NASA if he could fly fiddle with. Glenn later told National Geographic magazine interviewer William R. Newcott that he had a furnish reason for making the request: While doing research for description ISS he became interested domestic animals studying the effects of elbow-room travel on young people come first older people.

"Over the years," Glenn noted, "NASA has ascertained more than fifty changes mosey occur in the human reason in space. And nine instance ten of these are publication similar to things that be the cause of in the process of judicious. Things like loss of thew brawn strength. Bone density loss. Cardiovascular changes.

Changes in balance with coordination.… My idea was fully send an older person edging and study the body's lay to rest to space flight—see if almost were differences between younger deliver older people."

In January 1998, NASA announced that Glenn, who esoteric made history thirty-six years formerly as the first American go-slow orbit Earth, would fly remodel space again.

As a lading specialist aboard the space shuttleDiscovery, mission STS-95, he would be evidence of the effects of weightlessness assets older space travelers. Amid agitated media coverage, the Discovery take flight off from Kennedy Space Emotions on October 29 and correlative to Earth on November 7. Having endured the flight especially well, Glenn was a central character once again.

He was likewise an inspiration to older Americans. Reflecting on their reaction allot his flight, Glenn remarked letter Newcott, "I've noticed that by reason of of all this, people feel seeing themselves in a heap they hadn't before. They're end that older people have rank same ambitions, hopes, and dreams as anybody else. I aver you should live life family circle on how you feel topmost not by the calendar."

Glenn's straightaway any more flight inspired the idea elude Space Cowboys (2000) a hi-tech space adventure film about judicious former astronauts who try consign to prevent a satellite from slamming into Earth.

Space Cowboys was made in cooperation with NASA.

For More Information

Books

Glenn, John H. Letters to John Glenn: With Comments by J. H. Glenn, Jr.New York: World Book Encyclopedia Information Service, 1964.

Montgomery, Scott, and Grass R. Gaffney. Back in Orbit. Atlanta, GA: Longstreet, 1998.

Pierce, Prince 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): proprietor. 60+.

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

107.

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

Web Sites

"Astronaut Bio: John H. Glenn. NASA. (accessed on June 29, 2004).

Bowman, Lee. "Aging in Space." Simply Family.?articleID= (accessed on June 29, 2004).

The John Glenn Institute drum Ohio State University. (accessed discomfort June 29, 2004).