He was launched into space from Cape Canaveral, Florida, aboard the Friendship 7 spacecraft. Glenn's mission lasted for 4 hours and 55 minutes, during which time he circled the Earth three times. He landed safely in the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of Grand Turk Island.
Glenn's flight was a major milestone in the history of the United States space program. It came just a few weeks after Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first person ever to orbit the Earth. Glenn's flight helped to restore American pride and confidence after Gagarin's achievement.
Glenn's flight also paved the way for future human space missions, including the Apollo missions that landed men on the Moon.
In addition to his historic space flight, John Glenn also had a distinguished career as a military pilot and astronaut. He flew 149 combat missions during World War II and the Korean War. He also served as a U.S. Senator from Ohio from 1974 to 1999.
John Glenn died on December 8, 2016, at the age of 95. He will always be remembered as one of the most important figures in the history of the United States space program.