Today in history - February 20: In 1962, astronaut John Glenn became the first American to orbit Earth after blasting off aboard the "Friendship 7" Mercury capsule. He completed three orbits.
The trip helped the United States catch up to the former Soviet Union's accomplishments, and Glenn said he thinks it was a turning point for the national psyche. "It's amazing to me to look back 50 years and think that it's been 50 years," Glenn told The Associated Press last month.
© Shaw Media Inc., 2012. All rights reserved.