Yesterday , we pick up thetragic newsthat John Glenn – the first American to revolve Earth – had died at the age of 95 .
But his was a life to observe , a trailblazer in the early days of space exploration . Glenn was the last subsist member of the Mercury Seven , who flee NASA ’s earliest man mission . In 1998 , he also became the oldest someone to go to space , and even became a US Senator .
" With John ’s passing , our nation has lost an icon and Michelle and I have lost a friend , " President Obama said in astatement . " John spent his life breaking barrier , from defending our freedom as a decorated Marine Corps fighter pilot in World War II and Korea , to setting a transcontinental amphetamine record , to becoming , at years 77 , the old human to touch the stars . "
Here , we take a look at some of the amazing instant in Glenn ’s spirit .
The Mercury Seven astronauts , show on April 9 , 1959 . Front row , will to right : Wally Schirra , Deke Slayton , John Glenn , and Scott Carpenter ; back words , Alan Shepard , Gus Grissom , and Gordon Cooper . NASA
A famed image of the Mercury Seven astronauts during wilderness training in 1960 . Glenn is third from left . NASA
John Glenn inspect nontextual matter on his spacecraft , Freindship 7 , on February 2 , 1962 . NASA
Glenn enters his ballistic capsule on launch day , February 20 , 1962 . NASA
Lift - off of Frienship 7 on February 20 , 1962 , with Glenn on board . The flight live on almost five time of day and fill in three area of Earth , make Glenn the first American to orb the planet . NASA
Glenn , fancy inside the Friendship 7 capsule during the flight of stairs . NASA
Picture of Earth take by Glenn during his escape . NASA
Glenn ( center ) with John F Kennedy ( left ) and General Leighton Davis ( right ) in 1962 , celebrating his successful flight . NASA
Glenn became the US Senator for Ohio in 1974 , remaining in office until 1995 . NASA / Bill Ingalls
In 1998 , Senator - astronaut Glenn became the old someone to go to space , at the old age of 77 , aboard Space Shuttle Discovery ’s STS-95 missionary post . NASA
Glenn received the Medal of Freedom from President Obama in May 2012 . NASA / Bill Ingalls
