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They were the first to orbit. the only rocket we had was a converted ballistic nuclear missile, so glenn sat on top of that in a capsule so primitive by today's standards there is more technology in the average ford f-150 than there was aboard "friendship 7." >> three, two, one, zero. >> reporter: the montage in "the right stuff" is all real. the u.s. failed at a number of launch attempts and there was no guarantee glenn would survive this one. off he went accompanied by the famous blessing. >> god speed, john glenn. >> reporter: the nation stopped 50 years ago today. he was only up there for ...

They were test pilots turned into astronauts or what some back then called spam in a can. the first two mercury flights just to the edge of space each lasted barely 15 minutes. it was on the third mission, a marine aviator named john glenn, became the first american to actually orbit the earth. >> god speed, john glenn. >> the mission lasted almost five hours. >> oh, that view is tremendous. >> yesterday at cape canavarel, 50 years later glenn and fellow astronaut scott carpenter gathered with the scientists who helped america even the score in the space race. >> there wasn't any closer brothe...

They taped up mini eye charts on top of the instrument panel. what glenn could not imagine then was that half a century later, the u.s. would be depending on the russians for rides into orbit. he talked about it with brian williams. >> sort of a little bit of nostalgia, but in the bigger picture, i'm sorry that we're not maximizing the research return out of the space program. the international space station is the most unique laboratory ever put together by human beings. it also means without the shuttle, we have no way of getting into space ourselves. >> today, exotic robots and landers go w...

The head of homeland security says there is no suggestion indianapolis is a target. >> we have no specific credible threat at this time against the super bowl. >> reporter: still, customs and border protection choppers and planes will be in the air, enforcing a 30-mile no-fly zone over indy. if a plane were to get through, fighter jets will be called in. >> keep general aviation aircraft outside the area to keep them from disrupting the venue whether it be purposefully or accidentally. >> reporter: 8,000 workers in and around the stadium will be on watch, trained to look for suspicious behavio...

The passengers said they could see the sky, but the plane landed safely. so far, that investigators have found three other planes with cracked fuselages. and a flight on the way from new orleans to san francisco when pilots reported smoke in the cockpit shortly after take off. they say that the pilot was having trouble with the flight instruments and did not have control of the front wheels when the plane ended. it was carrying 105 passengers and five crew, but nobody was hurt. and nasa is pushing back the launch of the shuttle "endeavour" for nine days. congresswoman gabrielle giffords' h...