In Pictures: Remembering former US astronaut John Glenn (1921-2016)

World’s oldest astronaut John Glenn, who became one of the 20th century’s greatest explorers as the first American to orbit Earth, in addition to a long career as a US senator, died on Thursday (Dec 8) at age 95.

Updated

Published

Dec 09, 2016, 07:21 AM

John Glenn in Cape Canaveral, Florida, before his flight into space on Feb 20, 1962. PHOTO: NYTIMES

John Glenn during preflight training exercises in Cape Canaveral, Florida, in an undated handout photo. PHOTO: NYTIMES

John Glenn climbs into his Mercury capsule, Friendship 7, at Cape Canaveral, Florida, before his flight into space on Feb 20, 1962. PHOTO: NYTIMES

This file photo dated February 1962 shows US astronaut John Glenn wearing a Mercury pressure suit during training for his Feb 20, 1962, space flight aboard Friendship 7 in which he became the first American to orbit the Earth. PHOTO: AFP

John Glenn aboard his Mercury capsule, Friendship 7, during his historic flight on Feb 20, 1962.
PHOTO: NYTIMES

John Glenn with his Mercury space capsule, Friendship 7, in an undated handout photo. PHOTO: NYTIMES

This undated file photo shows US astronaut John Glenn (left) being helped into the Mercury capsule Friendship 7 during training for his on Feb 20, 1962, space flight. PHOTO: AFP

John Glenn addresses a joint session of Congress on Feb, 26, 1962, eight days after becoming the first American to orbit the Earth. PHOTO: NYTIMES

John Glenn waving to well-wishers as he is joined by his wife, Annie, and Vice-President Lyndon B. Johnson (right) during a parade in Washington on Feb, 28, 1962, days after Glenn's historic flight into space. PHOTO: NYTIMES

US President John F. Kennedy, astronaut John Glenn and General Leighton I. Davis (right) riding together during a parade three days after Glenn's historic first US orbital spacefight, in Cocoa Beach, Florida, US on Feb 23, 1962. PHOTO: REUTERS

Astronaut John Glenn, right, shows President John F. Kennedy his Friendship 7 Mercury capsule at Cape Canaveral, Florida, on Feb 23, 1962, days after Glenn's historic flight into space. PHOTO: NYTIMES

US astronaut John Glenn (centre) during a parade on Broadway in New York on March 2, 1962, after his space flight aboard the Mercury capsule Friendship 7 on Feb 20, 1962, in which he became the first American to orbit the Earth. PHOTO: AFP

John Glenn waving to well-wishers as he is joined by his wife, Annie, and Vice-President Lyndon B. Johnson during a ticker tape parade in New York on March 1, 1962, 10 days after Glenn's historic flight into space. PHOTO: NYTIMES

Senator John Glenn, Democratic senator from Ohio, announcing his candidacy for the presidency in New Concord, Ohio, on April 21, 1983, with his wife Annie (right). PHOTO: NYTIMES

US astronaut and Senator John Glenn getting a hand from white room technicians moments before boarding the US space shuttle Discovery on Oct 9, 1998. PHOTO: AFP

Astronaut John Glenn waving with crew members as they depart the crew quarters for the launching pad at the Kennedy Space Centre on Oct 29, 1998. PHOTO: REUTERS

Ohio Senator John Glenn giving the thumbs up sign from the cockpit of his T-38 jet aircraft as he arrives at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, US on Oct 26, 1998. PHOTO: REUTERS

Senator John Glenn (second from right), joins the rest of the crew of the space shuttle Discovery as they walk to the launch pad at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, on Oct 29, 1998. PHOTO: NYTIMES

United States Senator and Democratic candidate for President John Kerry (left) listening to former Senator John Glenn (right) discuss their decision to head to Boston for a brief visit to Fenway Park to throw out a pitch during the Yankees Red Sox baseball game while on board of Kerry's campaign plane on July 25, 2004. PHOTO: EPA

A handout photo provided by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa) on Feb 20, 2012 of Senator John Glenn posing for a portrait shortly after doing live TV interviews from the Ohio State University Union building, in Columbus, Ohio. PHOTO: EPA

Astronaut John Glenn waving to the cheering crowd as he rides in an open car with his wife Annie during a ticker tape parade down New York's Canyon of Heroes on lower Broadway in New York, US on Nov 16, 1998. PHOTO: REUTERS

President Barack Obama awarding the Presidential Medal of Freedom to John Glenn at the White House in Washington on May 29, 2012. PHOTO: NYTIMES

Former astronaut and US Senator John Glenn (left) and Nasa Administrator Charles Bolden speaking live with the crew of the International Space Station as they kick off the agency's two-day Future Forum at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio, on Feb 20, 2012. PHOTO: REUTERS

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