Mercury-Atlas 6 capsule recovery. Friendship 7 capsule, containing pilot John Glenn, being recovered from the Atlantic Ocean by the crew of the USS Noa. This capsule was mounted to the top of the Atlas LV-3B rocket that carried the Mercury 6 mission into orbit. Mercury-Atlas 6 (MA-6) was a manned spaceflight mission conducted by NASA as part of Project Mercury. It was the first American mission to put a human in Earth orbit. The mission was successful and Glenn completed three orbits in 4 hours and 55 minutes before splashing down in the Atlantic Ocean. Photographed on 20th February 1962.