Former astronaut and U.S. Senator John Glenn, the first American to orbit the Earth, will return to orbit before 1 January 2002 and survive until after his return to the Earth's surface.
For a YES judgment, the orbiter carrying Senator Glenn must leave the ground on an orbital launch on or before 31 December, 2001, regardless of the space program or launch vehicle involved, and must orbit the Earth (recrossing the launch meridian outside the sensible atmosphere) at least once, and Senator Glenn must be alive when the orbiter ceases motion relative to the ground or water surface after reentry, again regardless of the space program or vehicle carrying him. Alternately, if Senator Glenn returns to orbit as above, and remains alive outside Earth's atmosphere past the claim judging date, a YES judgment will be entered. If Senator Glenn does not return to orbit during the claim period, dies of any cause while in orbit and prior to the judging date, or dies of any cause during the return to Earth prior to the judging date, the claim will be judge NO.
Background: On 16 January 1998, NASA announced that John Glenn had been selected as a Mission Specialist for STS-95, scheduled (at the time of the announcement) for 8 October 1998. NASA also announced that a secondary scientific objective related to his presence would be to study the effects of microgravity on seniors, who are known to be more prone to loss of bone mass under a 1 G field than younger people. Everyone subjected to microgravity loses bone mass, but most people recover it over a period of months after return to Earth-normal conditions.
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