It was 1962 when Marine Col. John Glenn orbited Earth three times and returned to a hero’s welcome.
The event to mark the historic occasion was held at the Science Museum in Columbus. Glenn showed people some rarely seen photos from his private collection.
Glenn said, “This is the 45th anniversary, which doesn’t seem like that to me. It’s so vivid because it was so impressed on me at the time.”
News Center 7’s Jim Otte said the successful mission in 1962 put the United States back in the space race with the Russians, and NASA learned a lot, which was valuable to future flights.
Otte said that in 1962, scientists were unsure if humans could breathe or eat without problems. Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland said Glenn’s mission will be remembered for generations to come.
Strickland said, “In those few moments that he spent getting into the capsule and going into space will forever keep him a part of our country’s great and noble history.”