Mission control asks Padleader Guenter F. Wendt if he and John Glenn are ready for insertion into the capsule, to which the “roger” reply was given. United States Astronaut John Glenn climbs into the Friendship 7 capsule. Mcdonnell Aircraft Corp crew assist John Glenn by helping him slide inside the hatch and sit inside Friendship 7. NASA ground crew at Cape Canaveral working behind IBM 7090 computer to monitor launch of Friendship 7. View of NASA ground crew near service tower of Pad 14. View of NASA ground crew with headphones wait for Friendship 7 launch. View of Mercury-Atlas 6 orbital path. NASA telemetry personnel waiting for Friendship 7 launch. Mcdonnell Aircraft Corp crew shake John Glenn’s hands before bolting the capsule hatch in place. View of sunrise at Cape Canaveral.
Scientists in mission control room talk on headsets and jot down notes. Scientist with headset looking up. Closeup of face of Astronaut Glenn in helmet before launch. The “Friendship 7” in launchpad. “United States” written on the Mercury-Atlas 6 spacecraft. Service structure moves away from the “Friendship 7” to prepare for launch. Flight engineers in mission control room gives signal for launch in one minute. United States Marines helicopter (Sikorsky UH 34D) and US Army Force helicopter. View of Australian Air Force aircraft. Men dispersing at airfield with a United States Air Force Douglas C-54 Skymaster parked behind them. A crowd of civilians standing at the beach waiting for John Glenn’s launch into space. A crowd on the beach, as they wait for the launch of the Mercury-Atlas 6’s “Friendship 7”. Cameramen recording with television cameras in crowded field. A news reporter reports on Mercury-Atlas 6 flight path outside launch at Cape Canaveral. Cameraman records the “Friendship 7” launch with his camera.
Support vehicles with sirens running exit Cape Canaveral airfield pre dawn. NASA scientists communicate with “Friendship 7” and the Bermuda Mercury-Atlas 6 telemetry station at mission control center. Bermuda station requests a 5 minute hold on count down. Officials in Mercury-Atlas 6 control room. Mercury-Atlas 6 flight path on world map on wall. NASA scientist on his computer. Astronaut John Glenn's face in helmet before launch. People gathered on the beach waiting to watch the “Friendship 7” launch. A reporter talks on his headset beside the Mercury-Atlas 6 flight path. John Glenn’s face in helmet. Mercury-Atlas 6 officials talks on headset, agreeing to continue with countdown to “Friendship 7” launch. The “Friendship 7” before launch. Positional globe in capsule holds steady before launch.
Face of John Glenn before launch of “Friendship 7”. Mercury-Atlas 6 officials talk on headset to begin countdown to launch the “Friendship 7”. A United States Marine Corp UH 34D helicopter flies. Mercury-Atlas 6 official wait for countdown. Mercury-Atlas 6 telemetry network officials at work at different stations all over world. Broadcast of Mercury Atlas launch. United States army personnel climbs into USA aircraft. NASA personnel operate Mercury-Atlas 6 controls. View of Mercury-Atlas 6 after service structure moved away. NASA official, wearing headphones, begins countdown. Face of John Glenn before launch, the voice of backup Mercury-Atlas 6 astronaut, Scott Carpenter, says “Godspeed John Glenn”. Launch of the Mercury-Atlas 6 spacecraft, “The Friendship 7”, with rocket thrust. Backup clock is started as John Glenn calmly sits inside the spacecraft launching to space. The Mercury-Atlas 6 in space flight. View of crowd of people watching the launch on the beach near Cape Canaveral. They cheer as the Mercury-Atlas 6 is successfully launched into space. View of the “Friendship 7” ascending.
Mercury-Atlas 6 personnel observe data from computers in mission control center before the launch of the Mercury-Atlas 6 (MA-6). The personnel discuss among themselves and check papers. The red “HOLD” light beside the “Countdown” light turn on. The green “PROCEED” light on the right side of “COUNTDOWN” turns on. A NASA personnel at work. A group of NASA officials gather in front of a NASA sign.
Mercury-Atlas 6 staff member reads notes from a binder behind the capsule environment monitor at the NASA command control center before the launch of the Mercury-Atlas 6 (MA-6). A flight surgeon works behind a monitor. Monitors shows heartbeat of a crew. The countdown shows 59 minutes left before liftoff. More NASA personnel working in the command center and mission control. The flight director works behind his monitor. The Mercury Space Flight Network (MSFN) plot board at the command center shows the positions of 18 ground tracking stations and two ships in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans to close gaps between ground stations.