Scott Rasmussen's Number of the Day for February 20, 2020
The Number of the Day columns published on Ballotpedia reflect the views of the author.
February 20, 2020: Fifty-eight (58) years ago today—on February 20, 1962—John Glenn became the first American to orbit the earth. Glenn orbited the earth three times in his Mercury capsule known as Friendship 7. The entire flight lasted just under five hours.[1]
That launch was a significant moment in the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union. Many Americans were concerned because the Soviets appeared to be ahead in the space race. They had launched the world’s first orbiting spacecraft (Sputnik) in 1957.[1] NASA—the U.S. space agency—wasn’t even created until a year after Sputnik.[2]
Then, in April 1961, Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first man to orbit the earth.[2] It took ten months before the United States could match that feat with Glenn’s journey around the globe.
In retrospect, it remains stunning to realize that the U.S. was able to successfully land two men on the moon less than eight years after Glenn’s historic flight into space.
In One Giant Leap: The Impossible Mission That Flew Us to the Moon, Charles Fishman recounts just how all-encompassing an effort was required to put men on the moon. And, he shows the tremendous impact that effort had in creating today’s digital era.[3]
Each weekday, Scott Rasmussen’s Number of the Day explores interesting and newsworthy topics at the intersection of culture, politics, and technology.
- February 19, 2020 –61 percent of Americans say they are better off than three years ago
- February 18, 2020 –97.5 degrees Fahrenheit may be average human body temperature
- February 17, 2020 –0 presidents have their birthday on President’s Day
- February 14, 2020 –55 percent of Americans will celebrate Valentine’s Day
- February 13, 2020 –15.2 billion dollars in revenue from YouTube ads
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Columns published on Ballotpedia reflect the views of the author.
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See also
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 On This Day, "John Glenn Orbits Earth," accessed Februrary 19, 2020
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 NASA History Division, "The Friendship 7 Mission: A Major Achievement and a Sign of More to Come," accessed Februrary 19, 2020
- ↑ Fishman, Charles. (2019). One Giant Leap: The Impossible Mission That Flew Us to the Moon. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster.
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