Glenn talks to space-station crew members

Associated Press

COLUMBUS

NASA surprised John Glenn with the kind of anniversary gift only a space agency can give, enabling him to speak live with the International Space Station on Monday as he marked 50 years since his historic spaceflight.

The former astronaut and senator from Ohio, now 90, became the first American to orbit the Earth on Feb. 20, 1962, circling it three times in five hours and helping to lead the nation into space.

He celebrated the anniversary at Ohio State University by kicking off a forum about NASA’s future.

Sitting on stage with NASA Administrator Charles Bolden, he chatted with three space- station crew members about space research and NASA’s future.

Commander Dan Burbank appeared by video link, flanked by two flight engineers floating in the zero-gravity environment, and said the crew was delighted to help commemorate Glenn’s momentous trip.

Glenn was among the top military test pilots presented in 1959 as the Mercury Seven.

The only other surviving Mercury astronaut is Scott Carpenter, who called out the memorable line “Godspeed John Glenn” moments before the rocket ignited for Glenn’s spaceflight.

“Fifty years ago today, Friendship 7 was orbiting planet Earth, and that helped in a very big way, paved the way for America to become a space power, and to go to the moon, and to do the things that we’re doing right now on the International Space Station,” Burbank said. “And we hope this also can help set the stage for us down the road to do even greater things.”

The first man to set foot on the moon said Glenn was “no ordinary pilot.”

Astronaut Neil Armstrong was the surprise speaker at Monday’s event.

Armstrong said there was a need for leadership in the space program, and Glenn “literally rose to the occasion.”