Today in History：February 20
February 201962: American spaceman rounds the world
John Glenn's trip came 10 months after a Russian circled the Earth
1962: American spaceman rounds the world
England have
The first American to orbit the Earth has landed safely in the Atlantic
Ocean.
Marine Lieutenant John Glenn, 40, travelled about 81,000 miles (more than
130,000km) as he circled the globe three times at more than 17,000 mph
(27,000kph).
Colonel Glenn controlled nearly two of the orbits himself after reporting
"minor difficulties" with the automatic altitude control system as he completed
the third circuit - the maximum anticipated.
Messages from the astronaut were transmitted by radio stations across the
United States and United Kingdom and his progress was monitored by 18 ground
stations around the world.
As he re-entered the atmosphere after his four-hour and 56-minute journey
Colonel Glenn said: "Boy, that was a real fireball."
His spacecraft, Friendship Seven, landed at 2040 GMT 240 miles north-west
of Puerto Rico, where it was picked up by the US destroyer Noa.
Altogether, 24 American ships were ready to pick up the astronaut and his
craft from various locations across the globe.
The capsule was launched from the flaming Atlas rocket at 1447 GMT from
Cape Canaveral, Florida.
President Kennedy followed the mission on television and telephoned the
astronaut afterwards.
"We are really proud of you. You did a wonderful job," he said.
The Queen and British Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan, also cabled their
congratulations.
Technical problems had delayed the mission 10 times - a total of 61
days.
The US has spent over ?42m on the man-in-space programme so far and Nasa
has planned another three manned orbital flights this year.
The US Earth orbit took place 10 months and 10 days after Soviet cosmonaut
Yuri Gagarin became the first man in space, making one circulation of the
globe.
Jamie was last seen on CCTV in the Strand Shopping Centre, Bootle
1993: Two boys charged with toddler's murder
Artificially 1969:
The Two 10-year-old boys have been charged with theabductionand murder of
two-year-old James Bulger in Liverpool.
The toddler went missing from the Strand Shopping Centre in Bootle last
Friday and his body was found on a railway embankment less than three miles away
two days later, on 14 February.
The two suspects were arrested two days ago and are being held at different
police stations with their mothers and lawyers.
When they appear before South Sefton Magistrates Court - a quarter of a
mile from where James was abducted - tomorrow, they will be among the youngest
people to face murder charges in the British courts.
Other members of the boys' families have been moved to secret addresses to
protect them from possible reprisals.
Police issued a statement saying the pair had also been charged - at
1840GMT - with the attempted abduction of another two-year-old and were being
held in police detention under section 59 of the Criminal Justice Act 1991.
It looks likely they will be remanded into some form of care or custody
before the case is tried by a judge and jury at crown court.
Officers are consulting the local council over the welfare of the boys.
Bulger family solicitor Sean Sexton said: "The family are of course
relieved at the progress that has been made. They are still trying to come to
terms with the situation."
"We should like to thank the police and public for their support," he
continued, asking for the privacy of the family to be respected and saying there
would be no further statement.
Hundreds of flowers have been heaped around the entrance to the shopping
centre where James was last seen, on security video, being led away.
And over ?,000 of public donations has been collected and given to the
Bulger family.
The 35,000 people at Liverpool Football Club's Anfield ground stood for a
minute's silence before the game against Ipswich Town today.
Vocabulary:
abduction : the criminal act of capturing and carrying away by force a
family member(诱导;诱拐)
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