On This Day
On Feb. 20, 1962
Cape Canaveral, Fla., Feb. 20 — John H. Glenn Jr. orbited three times around the earth today and landed safely to become the first American to make such a flight.
The 40-year-old Marine Corps lieutenant colonel traveled about 81,000 miles in 4 hours 56 minutes before splashing into the Atlantic at 2:43 P.M. Eastern Standard Time.
He had been launched from here at 9:47 A. M.
The astronaut’s safe return was no less a relief than a thrill to the Project Mercury team, because there had been real concern that the Friendship 7 capsule might disintegrate as it rammed back into the atmosphere.
There had also been a serious question whether Colonel Glenn could complete three orbits as planned. But despite persistent control problems, he managed to complete the entire flight plan.
BUZZARDS, BATS & BUMBLEBEES
If you put a buzzard in a pen that is 6 feet by 8 feet and is entirely
open at the top, the bird, in spite of its ability to fly, will be an
absolute prisoner. The reason is that a buzzard always begins a flight
from the ground with a run of 10 to 12 feet. Without space to run, as is
its habit, it will not even attempt to fly, but will remain a prisoner for
life in a small jail with no top.
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The ordinary bat that flies around at night, a remarkably nimble creature
in the air, cannot take off from a level place. If it is placed on the
floor or on flat ground, all it can do is shuffle about helplessly and, no
doubt, painfully, until it reaches some slight elevation from which it can
throw itself into the air. Then, at once, it takes off like a flash.
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A bumblebee, if dropped into an open tumbler, will be there until it dies,
unless it is taken out. It never sees the means of escape at the top, but
persists in trying to find some way out through the sides near the bottom.
It will seek a way where none exists, until it completely destroys
itself.
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In many ways, there are lots of people like the buzzard, the bat, and the
bumblebee.
They are struggling about with all their problems and frustrations, not
ever realizing that the answer is right there “Above” them.