youach week, we bring archival films that provide context for today's current affairs. next, on railamerica, friendship 7, a 57 minute nasa documentary detailing the successful mercury mission that helps america catch up with the soviets in the space race. john glenn, astronaut and senator from ohio, died on

saturday at the age of 95. he became the oldest person to fly in space when he spent nine days aboard the space shuttle discovery. ♪ >> the countdown is on once again underway at cape canaveral

, preparing to launch astronaut john glenn around the world. [speaking foreign languages] >> report, the astronauts condition is excellent. whether still remains the big question mark. the countdown is again underway.

>> with the entire world is our witness, the countdown begins at kate canaveral, florida -- cape canaveral, florida, for one of man's greatest adventures. ,t begins here, with these men for they are the launch team. from now until the instant the the fate of the mission breasts principally on their skills and judgments. -- restsdown -- press principally on their skills and adjustments -- judgments. this giantwake machine, test its ready midst -- readiness, and prepare it for

the moment it was created. minute after minute, page upon page, the count continues. in the night beyond this block house, a modified rocket now homes with restless energy asond a mercury spacecraft these men have slid toward its final minutes on earth. today is february 20, 1962. well, the mengoes here will launch an american astronaut into orbit around the world in a base graph which he ."s named "friendship 7 -- spacecraft which he has named "friendship 7." ♪

>> friendship 7 awaits its pilot, and the pilot has waited three years for this day. three long, arduous years of study, of training, and waiting. and now he is ready. his name is john glenn. ♪ astronaut john glenn of new concord, ohio. new kernel, united states marine corps.

married, father of two teenage children. -- glenn has been a pilot over half his 40 years, has flowed into wars, and is a veteran test pilot who five years earlier, established a transcontinental flight record reach first man to supersonic speed across america. he volunteered for spaceflight. two teammates have pioneered the way into glenn. astronauts alan shepard and virgil griffin tested the mercury spacecraft on tail grazing -- trailblazing suborbital missions, pushing the

group into the threshold of orbital flight. and now it is glenn stern -- glenn's turn. he has been chosen to cross the shepard andined by griffin. the countdown continues for john glenn and continues beyond this room for friendship 7. it continues this moment around the world. ♪ >> these are john lennon's ground-based copilots.

men he knows well with whose he has trained -- with who he has trained. they are the flight controllers, and from the mercury control center they make the decisions, issue the commands that will govern the course of the mission. these men will flood the facts needed for decision. the scope of their responsibility of the entire operation it defies comprehension. this very instant, the countdown for flight continues around the world on three continents, on islands, in ships and planes, and lands where it is summer and tomorrow is near, and lands where it is winter and tomorrow is just beginning. ♪ ctc.ger, control center is go.

♪ northeast of cape canaveral, 1000 miles into the atlantic, dawn's early light fills the british colony of bermuda. station to proceed with the countdown. two proceeds with the countdown. an avenue of electronic checkpoints is used around the world to communicate with friendship 7 as it passes overhead. cap, this is computer. cape, this is computer. telemetry is the years -- years -- ears.

in the months to come, engineers ,nd will find telemetry records answers needed for the steps of the futures. thank you. mn oh.ht this is all systems green. ♪ latitude, five degrees north. longitude, seven degrees west. a spot in the atlantic ocean off the coast of africa, and nation three, the rose not, waits under the morning sun for john glenn. trinidad, rosef

not will communicate with friendship 7 and monitor the journey as it treats across the acrosscean -- streaks the empty ocean and out over africa. you are proceeding at about five knots. over. ♪ >> beyond the mercury station on canary island off the african coast, it is midday at station five in nigeria, deep in the continent of africa. and ondata recorded here

zanzibar will replay -- relay through this transmitting station to london and on through america. far to the southeast of conneaut, beyond the zanzibar station, it is the twilight of day and the emptiness of the indian ocean. ♪ east, 200 -- 2500 miles from the coastal century, dust perth, western australia, halfway around the world from kate canaveral -- cape canaveral. >> tweak it up on here.

♪ >> today, february 20, is fast over australia. when glenn arrives, tomorrow will greet him. north and east across the pacific, far beyond the mercury juston, february 20 is minutes old of hawaii garden hawaii --hawaii -- hawaii's garden island. deeper into the day that will soon awaken over the americas. eastward to the gulf of california, and the mercury station and why this, mexico. -- wymouth,ess mexico. emmett otm,ood,

scratch dream -- status screen. -- green. >> the mountaintop station in california waits out the long countdowns, ready to track john glenn. >> roger, what is the present count? >> southeast now, to the farmland of texas, with a station of corpus christi prepares for flight. roger, all systems. would you please commence preflight calibrations at this time.

advisory when you have completed them. -- advise me when you have completed them. >> far to the north and east of corpus christi be, -- christi, this is the goddard space flight center in greenbelt, maryland. voiceh here finals the and teletype communication that links the global stations to mercury control. use --puters are able to make judgments and flashes of time faster than a brain can react. throughout the flight, computers will generate recommendations on whether the mission should continue or be aborted. determine locations of spacecraft, the time it should begin reentry, the point it which it will land. the most vital of these findings will be transmitted instantaneously to cape canaveral.

♪ >> around the world, all is ready. spacen, the stations, the men. if the most vital of all elements is ready, the man himself, john glenn. ♪

>> what are the thoughts of a man about to rocket into history? len is the astronaut, -- and the the man astronaut, he will challenge space. of this requires the skills tens of other men and women, scattered around the world. from the tracking experts who will chart the voyage around the globe to the sailors now waiting

-- at searecover him to recover him. behind the moment research and testing, planning and training. the point is all knowledge. and how ineffectively manned spacecraft can function -- an effectively manned spacecraft can function in this environment. a belle is it -- of benefit to all men. sacrifice, dedication, and courage. ♪ >> now, just a handful of minutes remain until the crew on the service tower call for the

pilot of friendship 7. ♪

>> if you and the astronaut ready, proceed to the ship. >> ok, john. [indiscernible]

♪

>> the sound of john glenn's life. this will flow from friendship 7 throughout the flight, informing

those on the ground how well he endures the trials ahead. of this soft light florida don emerges friendship 7, making it debut -- it's debut to its day of destiny. the mercury atlas stands alone, waiting to depart this earth. a quarter of a million pounds of it will toh thrust half a million horsepower. -- all to hurl a 168 pound astronaut into space. >> all stations, we are at lunch positions. start interrogation in one

minute. >> the countdown sweeps closer to the motion of flight -- moment of flight. -- johnl else, block glenn's safety is paramount. never in all of history have so many people shared, without censorship, and adventure of such magnitude. through all news media in all languages, all the people of the world are witness to this exploration of space, to its success or failure. >> d-15 minutes -- t -15 minutes.

there will be the smoking in the blackout still further notice. -- no smoking in the blackouts till further notice. >> roger, standing by bermuda. >> estimate five minutes, ok? five minutes. to tsaid to take it down minus seven. we may have it by then. >> roger. >> do you want us to hold, bermuda? >> we would like to hold at seven. we want to take another look. >> what do you estimate? 10somewhere between five and minutes, ok? > >> can you expedite? >> make it five. >> all stations holding.

we just got a go. >> are you ready? >> are you ready to continue? >> green, green. on my mark, we will pick up the t minus six at minutes 30 seconds and counting. thise time nears, and soon capsule will soon start showing john glenn his changing positions above the world.

>> market, 57 seconds. we're going to start epi on my mark. 2, 1, mark. >> roger, epi is a go. >> -40. >> status check, pressurization? >> all pre-start trilobites are correct, ready light is on. inject mercury umbilical. >> mercury umbilical clear.

minus 18 seconds and counting. engine start. >> good lord, ride all the way. >> godspeed, john glenn. 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. zero. [inaudible] >> roger. 3, 2, 1. mark. roger, backup clock is started.

oxygen, 78. , 27.mps flight path is good, 69. [cheering] ♪ >> 50 seconds. 65, it still looks real good from here. 70 seconds, leaving a nice paper trail now. it looks really fine. >> looks good, you got it. >> 80 seconds, looks good from here. 85. 90.

95. power is doubling up now. we are in good shape. 78/100., oxygen all systems are go. seconds to see go. seeco, sustained engine cut off, when the atlas engine will shut down and the spacecraft will begin orbital fight. >> love the greats fired, ok. greats fired, ok. capsule is turning around.

the view is tremendous. ♪ >> to john glenn, now belongs an awesome panorama. >> i could see the booster a couple of yards behind me. it was beautiful. >> roger, you have a go. friendship 7, beautiful site. ♪

>> roger, 7, you are loud and clear. >> is friendship 7 -- friendship this is 7. comfortable. i have nothing but very fine feelings. this feels very normal and very good. >> roger, friendship 7. >> all systems ok. >> roger. anything to report on control system check? >> everything appears to be going ok. we are right on schedule. >> very good, very good. >> so far, excellent.

7, you are cutting out. >> friendship 7, friendship 7. weak. you very give me the status of your control system. the horizon is a beautiful blue. a beautiful view of the african coast. out the window is by far the best view. i can see dust storms across the

desert. difficult to see the ground in some areas. >> over. you loudship 7, i read and clear. how do you read me? >> loud and clear. >> loud and clear, what is your status? >> excellent. i feel fine. >> i heard your comments on the weather over africa. as far as we can see, a lot of this part of africa is covered with dust. >> that is exactly the way it looks from up here, too. 7.this is friendship pressure holding.

>> roger, do you want to stand by? >> roger. a little different display than i had anticipated. [inaudible] friendship 7, you are fading rapidly. ♪ africa, 17,545 an miles for every heartbeat of john glenn. ♪ 7 streaks through the

from up tomorrow and races the dawn of yesterday. far beyond human site. ight. ♪ four john glenn, the familiar time references of earth no longer apply. world inys around our just 88 minutes, out-racing the sun that needs 24 hours to circle the same globe. ♪

>> friendship 7, friendship 7. do you read? 7.this is friendship reading new loud and clear -- reading you loud and clear. >> how are you doing? we are doing real fine up here. everything is going well. >> john, you sound good. observe -- do you want to take a check on your right? >> roger. or symptoms of vertigo nausea at all? >> no symptoms whatsoever. >> off to your right -- >> that is affirmative.

off to my right, i can see a big pattern of light. i can see very bright lights just to the south of it. >> that is perth. >> the lights show up very well. ♪ >> roger, friendship 7, loud and clear. go from control

center? >> roger, we are still go. 7, could you give us a blood pressure check? >> i still have some of these particles i can not identify coming around the capsule occasionally. >> how big are these particles? >> of the order of 16th of an inch or smaller. they are just by the window and i can see them against the dark sky. there were literally thousands of them. >> loss of signal, they have lost contact and friendship 7 streaks home.

canaveral, how do you copy? >> we read you loud and clear. , please.y >> roger. >> still reading you. friendship 7. is >> minor trouble aboard friendship 7. the controln in system. john glenn is overriding the system and manually controls friendship 7 on fly by wire, directing its movements by hand control much like a pilot flies a plane. by.riendship 7, standing

>> friendship 7, we have telemetry solid. we will remind you to start the checklist as soon as you lose contact with us. friendship 7,7, do you read? 7.this is friendship confirm that your landing back switch is in the off position? >> the center off position. >> you have not had any banging noises? the first tent of potential disaster -- the first hint of potential disaster. after not cooper -- astronauts

cooper. john glenn reports, status normal. ground stations are receiving an ominous signal. >> friendship 7 -- do you still consider yourself good for the next orbit? orbit. go for the next >> they are go for third orbit. 7, do you read? 7, loud and clear. you much better now. >> you look real good up there. >> i feel real good, no problems

at all. >> we will see you next time around. >> we have a contact with our mexico station and with the corpus christi tracking station. spacecraft is 7 now committed to its third orbit . ask at cape canaveral, a decision must be made -- and soon. the signal pulsing down from friendship 7 indicates that heatshield is loose. could the signal be erroneous? there is no way to tell. if it is true, john glenn could perish in an inferno when he plunges back into the atmosphere. the rockets that slow the spacecraft are strapped over the shield. if they were left on after retro fire instead of being jettisoned, their straps might hold the shield in place before

they burn off. they might possibly save john glenn from the 3000 degrees of reentry heat until he is deep enough into the atmosphere to hold the shield in place. the decision must be made soon. glenn is streaking toward the united states and he must begin the sequence 300 miles west of california if he is to land in the plant recovery area 700 miles south and east of florida. recovery area 700 miles south and east of florida. >> i will give you a mark. california.a, we would like to leave the texas. on at least three texas.ugh >> leave your retro pack on over

texas. >> roger. >> 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. fire. >> roger. >> are they ever? feels like i'm going back toward hawaii. >> do not do that. you want to go to the east coast. >> fire retro light is green. roger. retro has stopped. >> leave it on until you pass texas. >> that is affirmative. >> good-looking flight from what we have seen. >> we will see you back east.

decided to read enter with a pack -- reenter with the pack on. we are recommending you leave the retro packing on for the entire reentry. you will have to override the switch, which is expected to occur. this means you will have to manually retract. do you read? >> what is the reason for this? >> not at this time. >> roger. >> we are recommending the retro packing not be jettisoned. you'll have to override the switch which is expected to

minutes fromfive minutes from now. do you understand? >> i will have to make a manual and bring the scope in manually. is that affirmed? >> that is affirmative. >> roger. >> [inaudible] roger, retracting scope manually. >> we are not sure whether or -- it is far safer to reenter with the retro package on. we see no difficulty at this time. >> roger, understand.

[inaudible] 7 -- endship >> go ahead, cape. you -- ommend that pack upon reaching -- do you understand? >> suddenly, all contact with john glenn and friendship 7 is lost. >> this is friendship 7 -- >> friendship 7, do you read?

>> a real fireball outside. >> this is cape. >> the furnace like heat of reentry has created a barrier 7, halting allip voice communication. ♪ alone, he plunges back toward earth, a fiery meteorite. >> friendship 7, over?

>> this is cape, do you read? do you receive? 7 to 1300 friendship miles to our in slightly over -- miles an hour in slightly over three minutes. the force of gravity making john glenn weight eight times is normal weight -- his normal weight. >> do you receive? >> this is cape. mile, voice call is steelhead.

toit is the codename waiting retrieve friendship 7. >> john glenn cannot hear the command. clear,ing you loud and how are you doing? >> that was a real fireball. >> it did break off, is that correct? you loud and clear.

>> friendship 7 -- >> roger. >> scope looks good. >> scope did not come out. >> pumping the scope out. reentry checklist complete. standing by. >> roger. circles are open. roger.

>> 10,800 feet. beautiful. looks good. it looks very good. hello, mercury recovery, this is friendship 7. do you read me? >> loud and clear. home is the voyager. behind a journey of 81,000 miles, three days and three

nights in just four hours and 56 minutes. at 304 p.m. eastern standard time, friendship 7 comes to rest a board united states destroyer and john glenn returns to the people of earth. a change of clothing, a breath of cool air, a short debriefing. then john glenn heads for the aircraft carrier under the golden splendor of his fourth sunset of the day.

♪ ♪ his name is john herschel glenn junior, lieutenant colonel, united states marine corps.

married, father of two teenage children. today, john glenn and the andury team challenge space they won.

fate. john glenn dared bold men -- each step more as we reach out to explore the universe around us. ♪

♪

>> this weekend, c-span's cities tour will explore the history of san diego. american history to be on c-span 3 -- american history tv on c-span 3. ship of a a brand-new very large and new designs of the navy put her through the paces even though the war had just concluded and she made numerous deployments to the mediterranean for the first 10 years of her career. it was decided she and to transfer to the pacific and in 1955, she made an epic voyage because she was too large to pass to the panama canal, from nor folk across the length of the atlantic and indian ocean and entering the pacific from the west.

2:00 on american history tv on c-span 3. sunday night, a journalist on ukraine's past and present amidst ongoing regional conflict as told through the stories of the ukrainian people in her book "black square." she is interviewed by columbia university professor. >> when your system of government, when your state disappears or is radically reformulated, that often leads a space of chaos. for ordinary people, especially people who do not have a lot of lead to a really unbelievable amount of stress.

easterny night at 9:00 on book tv. next, as the centennial of america's april 1917 entry into world war i approaches, winston churchill historian talks about the british statesman's military career. he discusses his decision to leave parliament and joined the british army at the commanding officer. this presentation was part of a two-day symposium hosted by the national world war i museum and memorial in kansas city, missouri. >> lee pollock is the executive director and trustee of the international churchill society. he has spoken about the extraordinary life and times of the late prime