When did NASA first go to space?

When did NASA first launch into space?

So, if you’re asking about the first U.S. astronaut to actually orbit our planet, that was John H. Glenn Jr., on February 20, 1962. A proper achievement.

I remember stumbling onto some old footage of that day, must’ve been a rainy Saturday in late 2011, sitting on my couch, just feeling this weird mix of awe and dread watching him get strapped into Friendship 7. It wasn't just a launch, it felt like the world was holding its breath. Confused me a little, though, if that was truly NASA's first thing up there, or just the first person-round-the-world-type deal.

That whole Project Mercury thing, their big goal? Getting piloted spacecraft out there, orbiting Earth, then bringing those brave fellas home safe. And, yeah, they did it, with six flights.

It makes you think, doesn't it? About what that must’ve felt like for people back then. My grandma used to talk about it, how everyone gathered around their tiny TV, some fuzzy black-and-white picture from their living room on Elm Street, feeling like they were part of something huge. Not just a scientific leap, but a human one, you know? It’s not just a date in a book; it’s a moment people lived.