The term ORBITER OF 1962 refers to astronaut John Glenn, who was the first American to orbit the Earth in 1962. He was part of the Mercury program, which was the first human spaceflight program of the United States. Glenn was launched into space aboard the Friendship 7 spacecraft and completed three orbits around the Earth. His mission was a major milestone in the history of space exploration and helped to establish the United States as a leader in space exploration.