You Could Own the In-Flight Instructions from America’s First Manned Orbit of Earth

In 1962, John Glenn became the first American astronaut to orbit the Earth as part of the Mercury-Atlas 6 mission. Glenn spent almost five hours in flight before landing in the Atlantic Ocean, orbiting the planet three times. Now, you can get a glimpse at the instructions that guided him as the piece of space history goes up for auction.

The instructions are printed on a long scroll that Glenn moved back and forth during the flight, using the precise list of chronological destinations to confirm his flight path and to know when exactly to take photos, change his film, check equipment, and more during his groundbreaking journey.

It goes up for auction July 21. Bidding starts at $25,000.

All images courtesy Nate D. Sanders Auctions

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