Carpenter, M. Scott (1925-...), one of the first United States astronauts, was the second American to circle the earth in a spacecraft. John Glenn was the first. During Carpenter's three-orbit flight in the Aurora 7 spacecraft on May 24, 1962, he conducted a number of experiments, made observations on the atmosphere, and photographed the earth. His trip ended dramatically when his spacecraft landed more than 200 miles (320 kilometers) beyond the intended landing area. He was out of contact with the recovery forces for almost an hour before a search plane spotted him.