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Initials TDH/V/JF/ES


EDITORS: FOR CAPSULE ON SHOW IN RIO DE JANEIRO REFER PROD NO 2601/62

Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: THE AMERICAN SPACE CAPSULE - "FREEDOM SEVEN" - IN WHICH COLONEL JOHN GLENN ORBITED THE EARTH THREE TIMES LAST FEBRUARY 20, WAS FLOWN INTO BRITAIN MAY 14, AND WILL BE LONG VIEW AT THE SCIENCE MUSEUM, LONDON, FOR THREE DAYS BEFORE GOING ON TO PARIS ON THE NEXT STAGE OF ITS COMPARATIVELY MODEST JOURNEY AROUND THE WORLD. THIS WAS ITS FIRST EXHIBITION STOP OUTSIDE THE AMERICAS.

FROM THE THRILLING FREEDOM OF SPACE, THE CAPSULE WAS BROUGHT INTO THE CONGESTION OF LONDON'S TRAFFIC WHEN IT ARRIVED AT THE MUSEUM IN SOUTH KENSINGTON ABOARD A LARGE TRAILER. WORKMEN OPENED HUGE DOORS AT THE REAR OF THE MUSEUM AND MANHANDLED THE CAPSULE AND TRAILER UP SPECIALLY BUILT RAMPS.

ONCE INSIDE A SPECIALLY PREPARED HALL, THE CAPSULE JOINED THE REST OF THE EXHIBITION, WHICH INCLUDED DRAMATIC PHOTOGRAPHS OF COLONEL GLENN'S HISTORIC FLIGHT, AND ITEMS OF HIM AS HE LAY CRAMPED IN THE 9 1/2-FEET HIGH AND 6-FEET WIDE CAPSULE. THE ESCAPE HATCH HAS BEEN REPLACED BY A TRANSPARENT WINDOW SO THAT THE MANY THOUSANDS OF VISITORS WILL BE ABLE TO SEE THE INTERIOR. A LIFE-SIZE FIGURE, DRESSED IN COLONEL GLENN'S SPACE SPACE-SUIT, OCCUPIES THE CONTOUR COUCH FOR, UNFORTUNATELY, COLONEL GLENN WAS UNABLE TO ACCOMPANY THE EXHIBITION, HIS SERVICES WERE NEEDED TAT CAPE CANAVERAL IN CONNECTION WITH ASTRONAUT SCOTT CARPENTER'S FORTHCOMING FLIGHT, IN WHICH HE WILL EMULATE COLONEL GLENN WITH ONE DIFFERENCE: WHERE COLONEL GLENN FLEW UNDER AUTOMATIC CONTROL FOR MOST OF HIS JOURNEY, COMMANDER SCOTT CARPENTER WILL FLY MANUAL CONTROL, FALLING BACK ON AUTOMATIC ONLY IN AN EMERGENCY.