John Glenn — Questions and answers

Read the full story

Who was the first American astronaut to orbit Earth?

Choices

  1. John Glenn ✓
  2. Alan Shepard
  3. Yuri Gagarin
  4. Gus Grissom

Answer: John Glenn

From page 1

What was the main reason for the 'Space Race' mentioned on this page?

Choices

  1. To find a new planet for vacations
  2. A frantic quest for cosmic supremacy between superpowers ✓
  3. To see who could build the fastest rocket ship for fun
  4. To deliver mail to the moon

Answer: A frantic quest for cosmic supremacy between superpowers

From page 2

What was one of the big questions Project Mercury wanted to answer about humans in space?

Choices

  1. Could a human build a house on Mars?
  2. Could a human survive launch acceleration and zero gravity? ✓
  3. Could a human swim in space?
  4. Could a human teleport to the moon?

Answer: Could a human survive launch acceleration and zero gravity?

From page 3

What was the most important part of the Mercury spacecraft for coming back to Earth safely?

Choices

  1. The small window
  2. The comfy seat
  3. The ablative heat shield ✓
  4. The fancy paint job

Answer: The ablative heat shield

From page 4

How fast did John Glenn's Friendship 7 need to go to orbit Earth?

Choices

  1. Slower than a car on the highway
  2. About 1,000 kilometers per hour
  3. Over 28,000 kilometers per hour ✓
  4. The speed of a bicycle

Answer: Over 28,000 kilometers per hour

From page 5

What problem did Mission Control think Friendship 7 had mid-mission?

Choices

  1. The radio stopped working
  2. The heat shield might be loose ✓
  3. The rocket ran out of fuel
  4. John Glenn was bored

Answer: The heat shield might be loose

From page 6

What happened to communications during Friendship 7's re-entry into Earth's atmosphere?

Choices

  1. John Glenn started singing loudly
  2. A communications blackout occurred ✓
  3. Mission Control called his family
  4. They chatted about the weather

Answer: A communications blackout occurred

From page 7

What big space program did John Glenn's successful flight help gain support for?

Choices

  1. The Mars Rover program
  2. The Apollo program to land humans on the Moon ✓
  3. The International Space Station program
  4. The Hubble Telescope project

Answer: The Apollo program to land humans on the Moon

From page 8

How old was John Glenn when he returned to space on the Space Shuttle Discovery?

Choices

  1. 37 years old
  2. 77 years old ✓
  3. 57 years old
  4. 27 years old

Answer: 77 years old

From page 9

What spirit did John Glenn's life embody?

Choices

  1. The spirit of cooking
  2. The spirit of exploration ✓
  3. The spirit of painting
  4. The spirit of gardening

Answer: The spirit of exploration

From page 10