Events in 1962

February 20, 1962

John Glenn's Historic Orbital Flight

On February 20, 1962, astronaut John Glenn became the first American to orbit Earth aboard Friendship 7 spacecraft, completing three orbits during a 4-hour and 55-minute mission that marked a crucial milestone in the Space Race.

February 20, 1962

Mercury-Atlas 6: First American Orbital Flight

On February 20, 1962, astronaut John Glenn became the first American to orbit Earth aboard Friendship 7 spacecraft during the Mercury-Atlas 6 mission. The historic flight lasted 4 hours and 55 minutes, completing three orbits around Earth at an altitude of 162 miles.

October 16, 1962

Cuban Missile Crisis

A 13-day nuclear standoff between the US and USSR triggered by the discovery of Soviet missile sites in Cuba, bringing the world to the brink of nuclear war. The crisis was resolved through diplomatic negotiations, resulting in the removal of Soviet missiles from Cuba and US missiles from Turkey.