John Glenn By Danny John Glenn was first man to orbit planet Earth Glenn orbited the Earth three times in the Friendship 7 space capsule before splashing down safely into the Atlantic Ocean, four hours and fifty-six minutes after lift-off Because Glenn could survive in space for that long space experts progressed and finally John F. Kennedy’s goal came true John Glenn’s accomplishment led up to Neil Armstrong walking on the moon On June 16, 1957 Glenn made the first transcontinental supersonic ( faster than the speed of light) flight Glenn’s average speed was over 700 mph Glenn’s spaceship took off on February 20, 1962 Glenn flew almost 150 combat flights during World War II After the wars Glenn became a military test pilot He became one of the first seven astronauts In 1998, at the age of 77 Glenn became the oldest person to travel in space, when he flew aboard the Discovery spacecraft John Glenn By Danny