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Today in History: 77-Year-Old John Glenn Flies Discovery Again

By Drooid · Oct 29, 2026 · How we work

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On 29 October 1998, 77-year-old former astronaut John Glenn flew aboard Space Shuttle Discovery on mission STS-95, becoming the oldest person to reach Earth orbit. The Kennedy-Space-Center launch marked Glenn’s second spaceflight, featured the first Spaniard in space, and inaugurated U.S. HDTV broadcasting.

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On 29 October 1998, 77-year-old former astronaut John Glenn flew aboard Space Shuttle Discovery on mission STS-95, becoming the oldest person to reach Earth orbit. The Kennedy-Space-Center launch marked Glenn’s second spaceflight, featured the first Spaniard in space, and inaugurated U.S. HDTV broadcasting.