https://peertube.dngr.us/videos/watch/732a1196-4c24-4a96-b2e2-cfc88b975e04 Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCddem5RlB3bQe99wyY49g0g/join Support us on Patreon, visit https://www.patreon.com/PeriscopeFilm Visit our website www.PeriscopeFilm.com View our Amazon store here: https://amzn.to/3XQHsVD 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 the intense heat of re-entry protected by a heat shield. 5:07 — After nearly five hours in space, Glenn safely returns to Earth; the U.S. Navy’s destroyer Noah recovers his capsule from the ocean. 6:07 — Glenn exits the capsule via helicopter, undergoes medical examinations, and rests briefly before the beginning of his hero’s welcome. 7:08 — Celebrated as a conquering hero, Glenn is reunited with his wife and greeted by enthusiastic crowds upon his return. 7:21 — The President awards Glenn the Distinguished Service Medal in recognition of his pioneering achievement in space exploration. 7:33 — In Washington, D.C., Glenn receives a massive public reception and a standing ovation in Congress, honoring his historic accomplishment. 7:56 — Reflecting on his mission, Glenn humbly expresses pride in representing the nation and hopes humanity will wisely use its expanding knowledge of the universe. This Mercury-Atlas (MA) 6 mission also reestablished NASA and the U.S. as a strong contender in the space race with the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union had launched the world’s first spacecraft, Sputnik, in October 1957 and had also sent the first human, Yuri Gagarin, into space on April 1961. NASA responded by sending the first American, Alan Shepard, into space in May 1961, but Shepard’s flight was only a suborbital lob, whereas Gagarin had orbited Earth. With Glenn’s orbital mission, NASA was finally able to pull back even with the Soviets. This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDZMHWqouHM Mirrored from Periscope Film (https://www.youtube.com/@PeriscopeFilm) Sat, 13 Jun 2026 13:19:28 GMT https://validator.w3.org/feed/docs/rss2.html PeerTube - https://peertube.dngr.us https://peertube.dngr.us/lazy-static/avatars/41a6fee9-7f57-42d0-a5fc-5db4f1af2e31.png https://peertube.dngr.us/videos/watch/732a1196-4c24-4a96-b2e2-cfc88b975e04 All rights reserved, unless otherwise specified in the terms specified at https://peertube.dngr.us/about and potential licenses granted by each content's rightholder.