Around the World in 80 Minutes

White background with a black and white photograph of an astronauts head in a space helmet with a red banner with white text on the outer top edge and a blue banner with white text on the outer bottom edge of the button.

On February 20, 1962 John Glenn became the first man to orbit the Earth. Glenn orbited the Earth several times and traveled a total of over 81,000 miles. He was given a hero's welcome after he had returned from space. He was awarded the Space Congressional Medal of Honor by President John F. Kennedy and was greeted with a ticker tape parade in New York City. Additionally, many schools and streets were named after him throughout the United States.