The first American in orbit was John Glenn, an astronaut and former United States Marine Corps aviator. He was the first American to orbit the Earth on February 20, 1962, aboard Friendship 7, a part of the Mercury program. He was also the fifth person in space and the third to orbit the Earth. His mission lasted four hours and 55 minutes, during which he circled the Earth three times. After his historic flight, Glenn became a national hero and was awarded the Congressional Space Medal of Honor.