1962 - John Glenn orbits Earth for five hours in Mercury 6, becoming the first American in space.

Project Mercury, NASA’s first manned spaceflight program, recruited the most talented pilots from branches of the U.S. military to compete in a rigorous training program for the right to be fired into space in a tiny one-man capsule. The so-called Mercury Seven, of which Glenn was a member, were selected in April 1959. (NASA)