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On this day – February 20

Posted on February 20, 2025January 30, 2025 By Barb Sande

The earliest event was in 1958, the latest was in 2008

One milestone event (5 to 65+ years ago)

Human Spaceflight:

1962 – LAUNCH: Mercury MA-6/Friendship 7 (John Glenn), GD Atlas D LV-3B, LC14, CCAFS – First American in orbit – three orbits completed (hoped for seven).  Splashdown in North Atlantic, USS Noa recovery ship. 

2001 – LANDING: STS-98 (Atlantis), Edwards AFB

2008 – LANDING: STS-122 (Endeavour), KSC

Military and Classified Programs:

NONE

Exploration and Interplanetary Programs:

NONE

Earth-Monitoring and Civil Weather Satellite programs:

NONE

Commercial Programs:

1975 – LAUNCH FAILURE: Intelsat 4 F-6, Atlas SLV-3D/Centaur, LC36B, CCAFS – booster vehicle.  MILESTONE: 50 years ago

Test, ICBM, FBM programs:

1958 – LAUNCH FAILURE: GD Atlas A, LC12, CCAFS – Stage I

1959 – LAUNCH FAILURE: GD Atlas C, LC12, CCAFS – Stage I

1961 – LAUNCH: Martin Titan I LC19, CCAFS

1969- LAUNCH: Lockheed Polaris A2E, SSBN616, ETR

1979 – LAUNCH: Lockheed Polaris A3, UK S23, ETR

1997 – LAUNCH(4): LM Trident C-4 launched SSBN732, ETR

Other:

NONE

The photos today are of the launch of Mercury-Atlas 6 in 1962 and John Glenn from an on-board camera in orbit.  This was the first American manned orbital mission (3 orbits).  Photo Credits: NASA

February 20 – Launch of Mercury-Atlas 6. Photo Credit: NASA.
February 20 – Astronaut John Glenn in orbit on Mercury-Atlas 6 (Friendship 7). Photo Credit: NASA.
On This Day

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