Medal, Commemorative, John Glenn

This John Glenn commemorative medal was designed by the Italian sculptor, Constantino Affer. On February 20, 1962, John Glenn became the first American to orbit the Earth. In his Friendship 7 capsule he orbited the earth three times in a flight that lasted a little less than five hours. It was the third human spaceflight of the Project Mercury program, and the one that established American parity with the Soviet achievement of a human orbital flight.

Space medal collector Thomas Becker donated this art medal to the Museum in 1972.