Twenty-one minutes after he landed in the Atlantic Ocean following his historic orbit in space, John Glenn was picked up by the USS Noa. Above, he relaxes on the deck, having just become the first American to orbit the Earth. Monday marked the 50th anniversary of his flight.
Below, recent Pictures of the Day:
Image: NASA.
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Rebecca J. Rosen is a senior editor at The Atlantic, where she oversees coverage of American constitutional law and government in the Battle for the Constitution series.