Mercury-Atlas 6
Mission / eventCompleted
Mercury-Atlas 6: Place an American astronaut into Earth orbit for the first time
Mercury-Atlas 6, also known as Friendship 7, was the first American orbital spaceflight. John Glenn launched from Cape Canaveral on February 20, 1962, completed three orbits of Earth, manually assisted spacecraft control, and splashed down in the Atlantic Ocean after 4 hours, 55 minutes, and 23 seconds.
Mission photo archive
Reviewed photographs documenting Mercury-Atlas 6. Every image links to its official NASA catalog record.
View of Friendship 7 capsule on top of booster rocket
S62-00380 (20 Feb. 1962) --- Close-up view of the Mercury Atlas 6 (MA-6) Friendship 7 capsule on top of its booster rocket with catwalk still attached. Photo credit: NASA
Astronaut John Glenn, Jr. - Insertion - Mercury Spacecraft - Cape
S62-00371 (20 Feb. 1962) --- Mercury astronaut John H. Glenn Jr., pilot of the Mercury-Atlas 6 (MA-6) spaceflight, enters the Mercury "Friendship 7" spacecraft during the MA-6 prelaunch preparations at Cape Canaveral, Florida. Glenn became the first American to orbit Earth. Photo credit: NASA
Orbital sunset photographed by Astronaut John Glenn during MA-6 flight
S62-06040 (20 Feb. 1962) --- Orbital sunset photographed by astronaut John H. Glenn Jr. aboard the "Friendship 7" during his Mercury-Atlas 6 (MA-6) spaceflight. Photo credit: NASA
Launch record
Explore this mission’s launch, including its vehicle, launch site, payload, and outcome.
Mercury SC13
launch attemptOrbital attemptcompletedNo reviewed launch image5 connectionsMission dossier
Flight profile, locations, hardware, and outcome in the same reference format used throughout the archive.
Flight profile
Places and recovery
Mission record
- Vehicle
- Friendship 7[1]
- Mission type
- Orbital test flight[1]
Trajectory profile
2 sourcesFollow the mission from departure through its flight environment, destination, and final phase. This sequence is not a scale orbital plot.
Mission locations
2 sourcesDocumented surface, test, landing, and recovery locations. Map links use the cited place name or exact coordinates; AstronautAtlas does not geocode or estimate missing positions.
Departure or test site
Launch site
Cape Canaveral Launch Complex 14
Landing site
Landing site
North Atlantic Ocean
Assignment Manifest
The flight crew and the backup team assigned to train for this mission.
Prime crew
1 assignmentMission Purpose
2 sources- Place an American astronaut into Earth orbit for the first time.
- Verify Mercury spacecraft systems during orbital flight, , and recovery.
- Evaluate astronaut performance during three Earth orbits.
- Recover astronaut and spacecraft safely after Atlantic .
Planned Flight Plan
2 sources- February 20, 1962
Mercury-Atlas 6 begins
Friendship 7 was assigned to Place an American astronaut into Earth orbit for the first time.
- Primary phase
Verify Mercury spacecraft systems during orbital flight, , and recovery
Spacecraft: Friendship 7 Mercury ; : Atlas LV-3B; Primary work: Crewed orbital , spacecraft control, observation, reentry, and recovery
- Mission objective
Evaluate astronaut performance during three Earth orbits
Mercury-Atlas 6 operated within Project Mercury to pursue the program objective.
- February 20, 1962
Mercury-Atlas 6 outcome
Mercury-Atlas 6 concluded with the recorded status Completed: Mercury-Atlas 6: Place an American astronaut into Earth orbit for the first time.
Mission Timeline
2 sources- February 20, 1962
Mercury-Atlas 6 begins
Friendship 7 began Mercury-Atlas 6 to Place an American astronaut into Earth orbit for the first time.
- Operations
Verify Mercury spacecraft systems during orbital flight, , and recovery
Spacecraft: Friendship 7 Mercury ; : Atlas LV-3B; Primary work: Crewed orbital , spacecraft control, observation, reentry, and recovery
Open operation record - Defining result
Mercury-Atlas 6: Place an American astronaut into Earth orbit for the first time
Mercury-Atlas 6, also known as Friendship 7, was the first American orbital spaceflight.
- February 20, 1962
Mercury-Atlas 6: Completed
Recover astronaut and spacecraft safely after Atlantic .
Open operation record