John Glenn Returns to Space

Glenn inside the Friendship 7 capsule in 1962

LAUNCH DATE: October 29, 1998

COST: $400 million

OVERVIEW: John Glenn will make his return to space aboard the space shuttle Discovery as a payload specialist. It will be his second trip into space; his first was spent inside a 9-foot by 7-foot compartment of the Friendship 7 ship. He spent four-and-a-half hours in space and became the first U.S. astronaut to orbit the Earth.

John Glenn

His mission aboard Discovery is scheduled to last 10 days. Glenn had pushed for the assignment so he could study aging in space. The human research on this mission will be conducted by NASA and the National Institute on Aging, a division of the National Institutes of Health. The research was peer reviewed by independent scientists and includes studies on sleep disorders, muscle atrophy, balance, and clinical evaluations of blood and heart function.

NASA has previously flown astronauts up to 61 years old. Glenn underwent a range of medical tests conducted by NASA physicians and by independent consultants. They all found him medically qualified for space flight. According to NASA flight surgeons, Glenn's fitness level is excellent.

Launch of the Friendship 7 Capsule

1.6M/14 sec./320x240 559K/14 sec./160x120 QuickTime movie

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NASA link: Info on mission

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Main Story | Glenn Returns to Space | International Space Station
Mars Surveyor 98 | Stardust | Deep Space 1 & 2

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