On May 5 , 1961 which astronaut became the first American in space aboard " Freedom 7 " , launched by a Redstone booster on a 15 - minute ballistic ( suborbital ) flight ?
Glenn completed three orbits , after which three more orbital flights were made , culminating in L. Gordon Cooper 's 22 - orbit flight " Faith 7 " , May 15–16 , 1963 .