The launch was postponed until February 1, but when technicians began to fuel the Atlas on January 30, they discovered a fuel leak had soaked an internal insulation blanket between the RP-1 and LOX tanks.

NASA informed the anxious public that the mission would take time to get ready since crewed launches required a high degree of preparation and safety standards. Mission Director Walter Williams felt a sense of relief at the bad weather, as there was still a general sense that the spacecraft and booster were not ready to fly yet. The large crowd of reporters gathered at Cape Canaveral for the launch went home, disappointed. On that day, Glenn was on board Mercury 6 and ready to launch, when, at T-29 minutes, the flight director called off the launch because of thick clouds that would have made it impossible to photograph or film the launch vehicle after the first 20 seconds of the mission (the inability of launch crews to film the failed Mercury-Atlas 1 launch 16 months earlier had proven the importance of flying only in clear skies). The launch then slipped day by day to January 27 due to unfavorable winter weather. The launch date was first announced as January 16, 1962, then postponed to January 20 because of problems with the Atlas rocket fuel tanks. This was modified to be used with pressure suit gloves, although changing the film in a weightless environment proved a difficult operation and during the flight Glenn knocked a film canister which then floated away, ending up behind the instrument panel. Glenn, however, was successful in persuading NASA that he should be allowed to take one on the mission, and a Minolta Hi-Matic 35mm film camera (which he purchased himself at a local drug store) duly made the trip into orbit. Prior to MA-6, there had been a reluctance on the part of NASA to permit the use of cameras by astronauts, as it was feared these might prove an unnecessary distraction. A survival kit was also placed on board to assist Glenn while waiting for recovery after splashdown, including desalter kits, dye marker, distress signal, signal mirrors, signal whistle, first aid kits, shark chaser, a PK-2 raft, survival rations, matches, and a radio transceiver. Mercury spacecraft #13 and Atlas #109-D were stacked on the pad at Launch Complex 14 on January 2, 1962.Īs the effects of orbital space flight on humans were unknown except to the Soviets, who were keeping whatever knowledge they had a secret, Glenn was prepared with an onboard medical kit consisting of morphine for pain relief, mephentermine sulfate to treat any shock symptoms, benzylamine hydrochloride to counter motion sickness and racemic amphetamine sulfate, a stimulant. It was chosen for the MA-6 mission in October 1960 and delivered to Cape Canaveral on August 27, 1961. Louis, Missouri assembly line in May 1960. Mercury spacecraft #13 began taking form on McDonnell's St.

NASA had wanted to launch M-A6 in 1961 (hoping to orbit an astronaut in the same calendar year as the Soviets did), but by early December it was apparent that the mission hardware would not be ready for launch until early 1962. The MA-6 launch vehicle, Atlas #109-D, arrived at Cape Canaveral the evening of November 30, 1961. Schirra were pilot and backup, respectively, for the second mission, Mercury-Atlas 7. Glenn was selected as prime pilot for the first mission (M-A6), with M. He then announced the team members for the next two Mercury missions. Reporters asked NASA's Robert Gilruth who would be the first U.S. Still frame of John Glenn in orbit, taken byĪ motion picture camera inside Friendship 7įebruary 20, 1962, 14:47:39 ( UTC14:47:39Z) UTCįebruary 20, 1962, 19:43:02 ( UTC19:43:03Z) UTCĢ1☂0′N 68☄0′W / 21.333°N 68.667°W / 21.333 -68.667Īfter the successful completion of the Mercury-Atlas 5 flight that carried Enos, a chimpanzee, in late November 1961, a press conference was held in early December.

The lox secure the bag