David Weaver
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600
david.s.weaver@nasa.gov
RELEASE: 11-233
NASA SENDS BIRTHDAY WISHES TO ASTRONAUT JOHN GLENN
WASHINGTON -- NASA commemorates the 90th birthday of astronaut John
Glenn. The pioneering explorer was the first U.S. astronaut to orbit
the Earth and also was the oldest person to fly to space when he
launched on the space shuttle in 1998.
"John Glenn is a legend, and NASA sends him our best wishes on this
major personal milestone," NASA Administrator Charles Bolden said.
"John's legacy and contributions to the continued progress of human
spaceflight are immense. His example is one we continue to emulate as
we push toward farther destinations in the solar system."
After a distinguished flying career with the Marines in World War II
and Korea, Glenn joined NASA in 1959 as one of the country's first
astronauts in Project Mercury. On Feb. 20, 1962, Glenn piloted the
Mercury-Atlas 6 "Friendship 7" spacecraft on the first U.S. manned
orbital mission. He launched from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in
Florida to successfully complete three orbits of the Earth.
Glenn flew to space again on the the STS-95 mission in 1998 aboard the
space shuttle Discovery. As a mission specialist, Glenn supported
deployment of a variety of research payloads and participated in
investigations about spaceflight and the aging process.
To read a biography of John Glenn, visit:
For information about NASA's exploration programs, visit:
-end-
To subscribe to the list, send a message to:
hqnews-subscribe@mediaservices.nasa.gov
To remove your address from the list, send a message to:
hqnews-unsubscribe@mediaservices.nasa.gov
No comments:
Post a Comment