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.