JOHN F. KENNEDY HELPED NASA WITH THE FIRST MANNED SPACE PROGRAM. THE ASTRONAUTS RODE IN A MERCURY CAPSULE ATOP AN ICBM RECONFIGURED TO LIFT THEM INTO SPACE. THE FIRST AMERICAN ASTRONAUT TO RIDE INTO SPACE IN THE CAPSULE WAS ALAN SHEPARD, THE FIRST AMERICAN TO ORBIT EARTH WAS JOHN GLENN.
