An NBC news special on the flight of Colonel John Glenn.
Host: Frank McGee
NOTE: BOX SCORE IN SPACE RACE
A COMPARISON OF THE ORBITAL FILGHTS OF American Astronaut John H. Glenn Jr., and the Russian astronauts Maj. Yuri A. Gagarian and Maj. Gherman Titov:
Date GLENN TITOV GAGARIN
Launch Feb. 20, 1962 Aug. 6, 1961 April 12, 1961
Altitude (Miles) 100-160 110-159 110-187.75
Distance (Miles) 81,000 435,000 26,000
Speed (MPH) 17,350 17,750 17,400
Flight Time 4 Hrs. 56 Min. 25 Hrs. 15 Min. 1 Hr. 45 Min.
No. of Orbits Three 17 One
Weight of Craft 4,200 lbs. 10,430 10,460
Craft Name Friendship 7 Vostok 2 Vostok 1
Rocket Thrust 360,000 lbs. 800,000 lbs. 800,000 lbs.
Weightlessness 4 Hrs. 45 Mins. 24 Hrs. 59 Mins. 89.1 Mins. 