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John Glenn's Pressure Suit
This spacesuit was worn by John Glenn during the first orbital flight of a U.S. astronaut. The flight took place on February 20, 1962 and lasted for 4 hours and 55 minutes, during which time he traveled 75,679 miles and orbited the earth three times.
The suit was made to protect the astronaut during exiting and re-entry of the Earth's atmosphere. It was not capable of sustaining life outside the capsule.
Artifact location in the Museum
Artifact location in the Museum
John Glenn's Pressure Suit that we wore on the Friendship 7 mission is currently not on display at the National Air and Space Museum. It is either on loan or in storage.
Additional information
Additional information
Who made the suit?
Who made the suit?
The suit was made by the B.F. Goodrich Company , the same company that made Wiley Post's suit. They were able to learn from their first prototype and develop a model for astronauts to wear into space.
Differences from the first pressure suits?
Differences from the first pressure suits?
The Mercury suits were made with helmets that provided much more visibility. The suit also provided more mobility for the astronauts and was more comfortable to wear throughout their journey.
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