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National Air and Space Museum Archives
John Herschel Glenn, Jr. Orbital Flight Letter
Summary
- Collection ID:
- NASM.2019.0005
- Creators:
-
Glenn, John Herschel, Jr., 1921-2016
- Dates:
-
January 15, 1964
- Languages:
-
English.
- Physical Description:
-
0.05 Cubic feet1 folder
- Repository:
This collection consists of a letter written by John Herschel Glenn, Jr. to Tim Jones, dated January 15, 1964. In the letter, which is on Glenn's National Aeronautics and Space Administration letterhead, Glenn discusses his thoughts on faith both during his orbital flight as well as in a general sense.
Scope and Contents
Scope and Contents
This collection consists of a letter written by John Herschel Glenn, Jr. to Tim Jones, dated January 15, 1964. In the letter, which is on Glenn's National Aeronautics and Space Administration letterhead, Glenn discusses his thoughts on faith both during his orbital flight as well as in a general sense.
Arrangement
Arrangement
Collection is in original order.
Biographical / Historical
Biographical / Historical
John Herschel Glenn, Jr. (1921-2016) became the first American to orbit the Earth on February 20, 1962 in the Mercury MA-6
Friendship 7
. Glenn's three-orbit mission was a sterling success, as he overcame problems with the automatic control system that would have ended an unmanned flight. However, reentry was tense, as a faulty telemetry signal from the spacecraft indicated that the heat shield might be loose. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Mission Control instructed Glenn not to jettison the retrorocket package after firing in order to better hold the heat shield in place. Glenn reentered successfully and splashed down in the Atlantic 4 hours, 55 minutes and 23 seconds after launch.Tim Jones was a sixteen year old boy when John Glenn made his orbital flight. Jones was enamored with the idea of flight and space travel and discussions in his church youth group at the time inspired Jones to write to John Glenn and ask about his thoughts on God during Glenn's mission.
Administration
Author
Jessamyn Lloyd
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Tim Jones, Gift, 2018, NASM.2019.0005
Processing Information
Arranged, described, and encoded by Jessamyn Lloyd, 2018.
Digital Content
Using the Collection
Conditions Governing Use
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests.
Conditions Governing Access
No restrictions on access
Preferred Citation
John Herschel Glenn, Jr. Orbital Flight Letter, NASM.2019.0005, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
Keywords
| Keyword Terms | Keyword Types | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Astronautics | Topical | Search Smithsonian Collections | Search ArchiveGrid |
| Space flight | Topical | Search Smithsonian Collections | Search ArchiveGrid |
| Astronauts | Topical | Search Smithsonian Collections | Search ArchiveGrid |
| Correspondence | Genre Form | Search Smithsonian Collections | Search ArchiveGrid |
| Glenn, John Herschel, Jr., 1921-2016 | Personal Name | Search Smithsonian Collections | Search ArchiveGrid |
National Air and Space Museum Archives
14390 Air & Space Museum Parkway
Chantilly, VA 20151
NASMRefDesk@si.edu
