On March 19, 1964, NASA unsuccessfully attempted to launch a satellite called Beacon Explorer-A on a mission to study the ionosphere. This is a region in Earth's upper atmosphere where radiation from the sun strips the electrons off atoms and molecules, creating a layer of ions and free electrons. Beacon Explorer-A was supposed to go count all those free electrons using a radio beacon, but it never reached orbit after it launched. After a smooth liftoff from Cape Kennedy, something went wrong wi

9.6K views · 210 reactions | 60 years ago this August, astronauts from NASA's first three groups were in Nevada for survival training. After instruction in desert survival, pairs of astronauts practiced their skills for 48 hours with no food and little water provided! | NASA History | Facebook

2K views · 122 reactions | Today, we remember astronaut John Glenn and the 60th anniversary of his historic flight around the Earth in the Friendship 7 Mercury spacecraft. As the first American to orbit our planet, his accomplishments continue to inspire, and we're proud to carry his name. https://www.nasa.gov/specials/johnglenn100/ | NASA's Glenn Research Center | Facebook

John Glenn becomes first American to orbit Earth in 1962