Glenn's Mercury Instructions Sold At Auction

In-flight instructions used by astronaut John Glenn during his historic 1962 Mercury 6 spaceflight have been sold at auction.  The instructions used by Glenn as he became the first American to orbit Earth sold in Los Angeles on Thursday for $66,993. There were eight bids.  The instructions included a flight plan detailing celestial bodies and geographical landmarks to guide Glenn's flight of nearly five hours on February 20, 1962. They also told Glenn at what points to take photos, change the film and color filter, put on his helmet and exercise. The document is scrolled around a bobbin that Glenn could maneuver with his thumb.  Glenn, who celebrated his 95th birthday this week, gave the instructions as a thank-you to a frogman who helped recover NASA capsules from the ocean. Glenn is an Ohio native who represented the state as a Democrat in the U.S. Senate. He also ran for president. Earlier this year, the Columbus airport was renamed the John Glenn Columbus International Airport in honor of his lifetime achievements.