Daron United States Mercuty

America's first "human-in-space" program was called, Project Mercury. Conducting six manned flights between 1961 and 1963, its goal was to orbit a crewed spacecraft around earth, testing the viability of the flights and mankind's ability to function in space. The capsule contained enough food, water, and oxygen to last a day. It was controlled remotely from the ground, outfitted with tracking and communications devices, plus a parachute to slow it for water landings. Alan Shepard was the first American to fly in space via Project Mercury in 1961. In 1962, it carried John Glenn, the first American to orbit Earth in the capsule called, "Friendship 7."