On February 20, 1962, John Glenn became the first American to orbit the Earth.  Circling the globe three times in the Friendship 7, the flight lasted 4 hours 55 minutes before the craft landed in the Atlantic Ocean.  The autopilot failed, forcing Glenn to take control of the spacecraft. The heat shield sensors started acting up, and Glenn watched as chunks of metal flew by the falling vehicle.  Glenn survived, however, and was hailed as a hero upon his return.
Even though the Soviets had already put a man in space and another into orbit, this mission was a huge triumph with the American public.  The US gained the confidence it needed to successfully compete with the Soviets in space.  President John F. Kennedy declares that the US would have a man on the moon by the end of the decade.  Glenn’s celebrity status ensures that he will not be taking that risk.

*Picture from http://www.nasm.si.edu/galleries/gal100/friend7.html

Sources:
National Air and Space Museum. Mercury "Friendship 7". 14 October 2003. <http://www.nasm.si.edu/galleries/gal100/gal100.html>

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