John Glenn became the first U.S. astronaut to orbit the Earth, flying a ship called the Friendship 7 around the world in a nearly 5-hour flight on February 20, 1962. Glenn also had political aspirations, running as a Democrat for a U.S. Senate seat for Ohio in 1964.
John Glenn, First Astronaut to Orbit the Earth, Dies at 95
![On Feb. 20, 2013, we remember the 51st anniversary of the flight of Friendship 7, which vaulted NASA astronaut John Glenn into space to orbit the Earth for the first time in history.](https://gdb.voanews.com/85cf9b6b-6a75-45b8-bc9b-dc0e264537d9_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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On Feb. 20, 2013, we remember the 51st anniversary of the flight of Friendship 7, which vaulted NASA astronaut John Glenn into space to orbit the Earth for the first time in history.
![FILE - John Glenn in flight suit](https://gdb.voanews.com/93ce4d53-25ab-4f54-b4da-73d94e78ca8f_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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FILE - John Glenn in flight suit
![President Barack Obama congratulates former United States Marine Corps pilot, astronaut, and United States Senator John Glenn after presenting him with a Medal of Freedom, May 29, 2012, during a ceremony at the White House in Washington.](https://gdb.voanews.com/3be40201-3468-4dc4-a6d9-e38dad481d0c_cx0_cy5_cw0_w1024_q10_r1_s.jpg)
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President Barack Obama congratulates former United States Marine Corps pilot, astronaut, and United States Senator John Glenn after presenting him with a Medal of Freedom, May 29, 2012, during a ceremony at the White House in Washington.
![Sen. John Glenn, left, and Apollo 11 Astronaut Neil Armstrong are seen prior to the start of a dinner at Ohio State University that honored the 50th anniversary of John Glenn's historic flight aboard Friendship 7 in Columbus, Ohio, Feb. 20, 2012.](https://gdb.voanews.com/8f12566a-21d6-4c11-86ba-68f95539be59_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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Sen. John Glenn, left, and Apollo 11 Astronaut Neil Armstrong are seen prior to the start of a dinner at Ohio State University that honored the 50th anniversary of John Glenn's historic flight aboard Friendship 7 in Columbus, Ohio, Feb. 20, 2012.