Original subtitles

JOHN F. KENNEDY: We choose to go to the moon.

We choose to go to the moon...

(CROWD CHEERING)

We choose to go to the moon

in this decade and do the other things,

not because they are easy but because they are hard.

♪ (MUSIC PLAYING) ♪

-ASTRONAUT 1: Look at that. -ASTRONAUT 2: That's beautiful.

It's gotta be one of the most proud moments of my life.

I guarantee you.

TOM HANKS: For most of human history,

a voyage to the moon was the fantasy

of the addle-brained or foolhardy,

for only divine beings and supermen

could make the journey.

But then humans went aloft on mechanical wings,

defying gravity and redefining the realm of possibility,

and the moon was within the grasp

of whoever would build the machine to take them there.

The main requirement for making the fantasy a fact?

Perseverance.

The wherewithal to solve the problems one by one

over the long course of the endeavor.

Problems such as how to make that first exploratory leap

into the lifeless void of outer space.

For without surviving that,

no one would ever dare make the foolhardy, yet divine voyage

from the Earth to the Moon.

(AUDIENCE LAUGHING)

COMEDIAN 1: What do you do here at the base, sir?

-COMEDIAN 2: I'm an astronaut. -(AUDIENCE CONTINUES LAUGHING)

COMEDIAN 1: Uh, are you--

are you sir, one of the seven astronauts

that have been chosen?

COMEDIAN 2: That's right. I'm one of the seven.

They're gonna shoot me out into-- into space,

into the blue.

-COMEDIAN 1: Now wait-- -COMEDIAN 2: Up above buildings!

(AUDIENCE LAUGHING)

COMEDIAN 1: Now, sir, just one moment. One moment.

COMEDIAN 2: Uh-huh? Uh-huh, uh-huh.

-COMEDIAN 1: I seem to have-- -COMEDIAN 2: Sure.

I'm a little nervous. I'm afraid I'm gonna lose my life,

that's why, I'm here, yes.

COMEDIAN 1: Well, sir, may I ask you something?

COMEDIAN 2: Sure.

COMEDIAN 1: I saw the pictures of the seven astronauts

that appeared in Life Magazine--

COMEDIAN 2: Oh, yeah. You saw those pictures, yeah.

COMEDIAN: You are not among them.

COMEDIAN 2: None of them are them.

COMEDIAN 1: You mean those are not the real...

COMEDIAN 2: No, those are models.

You see, they-- they can't take pictures of us.

We're monkeys, man.

COMEDIAN 1: What do you mean, you're monkeys?

COMEDIAN 2: Well, let me explain something.

COMEDIAN 1: Those are seven handsome men.

COMEDIAN 2: See, they're beautiful. They take pictures of them

so that we're not ashamed for Russia to show

-such ugly little astronauts. -(AUDIENCE LAUGHING)

COMEDIAN 1: You're not a very good-looking man--

-COMEDIAN 2: No, I'm a monkey! -COMEDIAN 1: Sir,

I'm a little disturbed that they're sending you up

-to be the first man in space. -COMEDIAN 2: Well.

COMEDIAN: You don't seem-- You seem ill-equipped

-to be an astronaut. -COMEDIAN 2: What do you mean? I got gloves and everything.

(AUDIENCE LAUGHING, APPLAUDING)

♪ (PATRIOTIC MUSIC PLAYING) ♪

(MAN SPEAKING RUSSIAN)

There is a historic news from behind the iron curtain.

Man has traversed the reaches of outer space,

and that man is a communist.

Soviet pilot, Yuri Gagarin, in the spacecraft Vostok I

successfully lifted off the face of the Earth,

flew his craft around the globe in approximately 90 minutes,

and landed safely in the Soviet Union.

As with the flight of Sputnik four years ago,

this latest Russian achievement

has caught those in the American Space Program

by surprise.

The seven American astronauts of the Mercury Space Program

suddenly find themselves jockeying for second place.

It has been reported that either Gus Grissom,

John Glenn or Alan B. Shepard will be the first to fly

the one-man Mercury space capsule.

Just when the flight will take place

has been the subject of much speculation.

Tonight President Kennedy is meeting with officials

of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration

to discuss not just why we are losing the space race

but perhaps if it has already been lost.

♪ (OMINOUS MUSIC PLAYING) ♪

The Russian went into the orbit.

One orbit, yes.

We can't even match that.

Not yet.

Gentlemen...

The President has been keeping up

with your hearings before Congress and committees.

For the purposes of tonight's meeting,

we can dispense with all the small talk.

He will want to know how we can catch the Russians,

or better yet, leapfrog them.

We can put a man on the moon before the Russians.

How about that?

It will take concerted national effort.

Something along the lines of the Manhattan Project.

-How much would it cost? -Somewhere between uh...

ten and 20 billion dollars.

Oh, pumping that much cash into the private sector

could be very popular.

I'm just going to ask if there's anything we can do

for less of the taxpayers' dollars.

What if we put up a...

-space laboratory of some kind? -DRYDEN: They'll beat us.

If we get into a race with them over heavy-lifting capabilities,

which is all that putting up a space station

will demonstrate,

we're going to lose for at least

the next five years.

Hugh, were you as sure about this when you were working

under Eisenhower?

No, but the Soviets hadn't put a man in space then.

Most assuredly,

the moon is their ultimate objective.

Red moon, huh?

Who wants that hanging over our heads?

As head of the President's Science Advisory,

I've gotta tell him that politics aside,

there's no reason...

to put a man on the moon.

The only thing we'll get for our money is some rocks.

So, put a probe up, scoop some out, bring 'em back

and tour the world with them for propaganda purposes.

You don't need to send a man a quarter of a million miles

away to do that.

And it sure as hell won't cost 20 billion dollars.

Well, certainly the President realizes

that the moment a man steps on the moon

will be a definitive one...

in the history of the world.

Especially when he sticks Old Glory in it and salutes.

He's ready for us.

Can the President count on anything

-in the immediate future? -Yes. (CLEARS THROAT)

Second of May. We'll have an American

up on the second of May.

(DRUM ROLL)

MAN 1: TRO Command Carrier on.

MAN 2: Roger TC. Command carrier on.

MAN 3: Safety C, turn up GFC to run the two transmitters,

separate and complete.

MAN 2: Roger, Flight GFC TM transmitters are on full.

Station support systems are on.

MAN 3: Flight Controller summary stats check.

MAN 4: Select, check AOL switch positions for launch.

MAN 2: Roger, AOL switch position to launch.

MAN 5: Recorders are on. Liftoff is armed.

MAN 2: Pilot to transport internal power.

CTC Mercury controls center is go.

MAN 6: Roger, Flight MCC is go.

MAN 2: Powering technical support

as flight take off. Support.

MAN 7: Go.

-MAN 2: Surge. -MAN 8: Go flight.

MAN 8: And fire. Go.

-MAN 2: Systems. -MAN 9: Systems go.

-MAN 2: Retro? -MAN 10: Go.

-MAN 2: FIDO. -MAN 11: Go flight.

-MAN 2: Missile? -MAN 12: Go.

POWERS: We have ignition.

♪ (ORCHESTRAL MUSIC PLAYING) ♪

We have liftoff.

DEKE SLAYTON: You're on your way, José.

Roger, liftoff, and the clock has started.

(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

SHEPARD: This is Freedom 7. The fuel is go. 1.2 G,

cabin pressure is 14 psi. Oxygen is go.

-Freedom 7, it is still go. -Roger. Copy.

SHEPARD: This is 7. Fuel is go! 1.8 G.

8 psi in cabin and the oxygen is go.

Cabin pressure holding at 5.5. Cabin holding at 5.5.

Cabin valves remain sealed.

-The environment's holding. -I understand.

Cabin holding at 5.5.

We are still go, CapCom.

SHEPARD: Fuel is go! 2.5 G. Cabin 5.5.

Oxygen is go.

The main vessel's 24 and the isolated battery is 29.

♪ (ORCHESTRAL MUSIC CONTINUES PLAYING) ♪

Okay, it's a lot smoother now. A lot smoother.

-MAN: Roger. We are at Max-Q. -SHEPARD: Fuel is go.

5.5 Cabin. Oxygen is go.

-All systems are go. -DEKE: All systems are go.

The trajectory is okay.

Tower Jettison. Cap sep green.

MAN: Flight will be coming up on zero G.

Very good.

SHEPARD: Retro jet off, and the turn-around has started.

ASCS is okay. No movement.

Roger.

Okay.

I have got a visual on the periscope.

-What a beautiful view. -DEKE: I'll bet it is.

SHEPARD: Cloud cover over Florida.

Three to four tenths near the Eastern Coast.

I can see Okeechobee,

identify Andrus Island, identify the reefs.

Manual flight control. Fuel and yaw are okay.

Feels great to fly. Starting Retro sequence.

And Retro attitude.

-Control is smooth. -DEKE: Roger.

Down to Retro. Five, four, three, two, one.

Retro fire.

-Retro one, very smooth. -DEKE: Roger. Roger. Retro two.

Retro two. Retro three. All three retros are fired.

-DEKE: All right on the button. -Okay.

Retro Jettison is back to arm.

CapCom, go. Fly by wire.

You're switching to fly by wire. Fly by wire.

-Roger! All is okay. -DEKE: Roger.

Roger. I do not have a light.

Understand that you do not have a light.

SHEPARD: I saw the straps falling away. I heard a noise.

-I will use override. -DEKE: Roger.

SHEPARD: Okay, buster, re-entry Jettison.

-Switching to ASCS normal. -DEKE: Roger.

SHEPARD: Periscope is retracting.

-ASCS is okay. -DEKE: Understand.

SHEPARD: Switching to HF for radio check.

On UHF. Back to UHF.

Okay, this is Freedom 7. G-buildup.

Three...

Six...

Nine!

(HEAVY BREATHING)

Eleven!

Okay!

Okay.

(SHEPARD GRUNTS) 11.5 max G.

-This is 7. I'm okay. -Coming through loud and clear.

SHEPARD: Thirty thousand feet.

Okay.

DEKE: Freedom 7, your impact will be right on the button.

Control is green at 21,000 feet.

I've got 7-0 percent auto, 9-0 percent manual.

Oxygen is still okay.

CapCom, can you read?

CapCom, can you read?

-I read. -DEKE: How do you read now?

CapCom, glad to be here aboard. The main chute is green.

Main chute is green. Main chute is good!

ALL: Yeah!

KRAFT: All right. All right.

All right.

Rate of descent is about 35 feet per second.

I'm at 7,000 feet.

Landing bag is on green. My peroxide is dumped.

My condition is good.

♪ ("SOMEWHERE BEYOND THE SEA" BY FRANK SINATRA PLAYING) ♪

♪ Somewhere beyond the sea ♪

♪ Somewhere waiting for me ♪

♪ My lover stands On golden sands ♪

♪ And watches the ships That go sailing ♪

SERGEANT: Mr. Speaker.

The President of the United States.

♪ She's there watching for me ♪

♪ If I could fly like birds On high ♪

♪ Then straight to her arms I'd go sailing ♪

Mr. Webb, Dr. Gilruth is here.

-WEBB: Bob. -Hey.

He's just getting into it now.

-(KENNEDY SPEAKING OVER RADIO) -Good.

Uh, can you, uh, turn it up, please, Jim?

KENNEDY: "...their large rocket engines,

which gives them many months of lead time

and recognizing the likelihood

that they will exploit this lead for some time to come

in still more impressive success.

We, nevertheless, are required to make new efforts on our own.

For while we cannot guarantee that we shall one day be first,

we can guarantee that any failure

to make this effort will make us last.

I therefore ask the Congress

above and beyond the increases

I have earlier requested for space activities

to provide the funds which are needed to meet

the following national goals.

First,

I believe that this nation should commit itself

to achieving the goal before this decade is out

of landing a man on the moon

and returning him safely to the Earth."

(PEOPLE CHEERING)

KENNEDY: "No space project in this period

will be more impressive to mankind or more important

for the long-range exploration of space

and none will be so difficult or expensive to accomplish."

(APPLAUSE)

Whoa, buster.

WEBB: They sure didn't waste any time.

If we had gotten Shepard into space before Gagarin,

it'd be over.

If we'd have beaten them. That would have been that.

We wouldn't be talking about going to the moon

for another 20 years.

Between this and the Bay of Pigs...

(CHUCKLES)

(SIGHS SHARPLY) Does anybody want my job?

That five-page memo from LBJ... pressing us to do it by 1967.

(WEBB SCOFFS)

Before we get anywhere near the moon, we'll need to put

thousands of man-hours into space.

So far we got 15 minutes and 22 seconds.

I'm serious now. Who here wants my job?

(SIGHS)

Bob...

can we do this?

We'll need thousands of people, special facilities,

technology and material that haven't been invented yet.

Yeah.

Can we do it?

Put a man on the moon in nine years.

Yes.

Absolutely.

We have to.

Damn.

All right, here's what we're gonna have to do folks,

to get a man to the moon ahead of the Soviets.

We've all been planning, meeting, talking, dreaming,

but here is the brass tacks

so we're all on the same page.

To get a man to the moon,

we first have to get him into orbit.

Our friends from Russia already did that.

Good for them.

The pop gun shot with Al Shepard was a nice start

but we all know we don't get cigars for that one.

The Mercury flights coming up will get us into orbit

long enough for us to figure out

how to stay up there for a bit.

We do that, we'd have objective number one... made.

EVA, spacewalk.

Objective number two. Once in orbit,

we get out of the spacecraft. Go for a walk.

See if we can build a suit to protect a man outside.

See if he can maneuver, see if he can get back in.

Now we-- we need this for emergencies of course,

but we ain't going to the moon to sit inside and take pictures.

We're gonna walk around up there.

And we'll need the equipment to allow a man to do that.

Rendezvous. Two spacecrafts

meeting up in orbit.

You wanna have fun? Come over to my house.

You stand in the back yard. I'll stand in the front yard.

You throw a tennis ball over my roof.

I'll try to hit it with a rock as it comes sailing over.

That's what we're going to have to do.

Two spacecraft flying at five miles a second,

hundreds of miles up with a communication system

spread all over the... over the world

like so many trading stamps. Then...

we're gonna have to dock.

Join up.

Develop the specs and hardware for two spacecraft

to first rendezvous,

then to come together all safe and stable.

Objective five, long duration space flight.

Take two weeks to fly to the moon and back.

What is being in zero G

that long gonna do to the human body?

Will the crews' hearts stop beating?

Will they be able to take a crap

without fouling up the flight controls?

I'm betting they can.

Still, we need to prove it. We need to... prove them all.

Proficiently, over and over again.

We have to get so good at it,

that we bet the lives of our crews without flinching.

We get 'em up there.

We accomplish the mission objectives

and we get them back home every time.

Oh, there's one more thing.

You know those daring, dashing young throttle jockeys

who call themselves astronauts?

Well, we're gonna need a whole bunch of new ones.

♪ ("MAGIC MOMENTS" BY PERRY COMO PLAYING) ♪

My name is Max Peck.

I believe you've got a room for me.

Yes, Mr. Peck. We've been expecting you.

♪ When two hearts are carin' ♪

Howdy, I'm Max Peck and I need a room.

Of course, Mr. Peck,

and we've been holding one for you.

Uh, Peck. Max Peck.

Good afternoon. I'm Max Peck.

Mr. Peck, of course.

♪ ...To try to keep warm ♪

Hi, I have a reservation for a single room.

My name is Max Peck.

You're who?

Mr. Max Peck. Max Peck.

I don't think so.

Uh, no, really.

♪ ...Hearts are carin' ♪

Yep, that's me. Yeah. Good old Max Peck.

I'll handle this one, Sheila.

Mr. Peck, how nice to see you.

I believe you're expected in the Corral Room

up in the mezzanine.

♪ ...Moments filled with love ♪

(LAUGHING)

(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

MAN: Oh, come on.

You guys are drinking in bad company

if Pete Conrad's buying.

Good God, not Jim Lovell.

Space program isn't safe if shaky here can pass muster.

-Good to see you, Pete. -Jim, come on in.

-Hi, Jim Lovell. -Ed White.

-CONRAD: Here's Jim McDivitt. -Hello, Jim.

-It's a pleasure. -CONRAD: Elliott See.

-Pleasure. -LOVELL: Nice to meet you.

CONRAD: That's uh, Frank Borman.

-Hi. -Hello, Frank.

CONRAD: Tom Stafford, John Young.

Nice to meet you.

Max Peck.

What's the point of having top-secret code names, fellas,

if we ain't gonna use 'em?

Well, heck, what'd I say, Jim Lovell?

-I meant Max Peck. -(LAUGHING)

-Max Peck. -STAFFORD: Max Peck.

Max Peck, makes a lot more sense.

-Nice to meet you. -So I say, "Who is it?"

She says, "Oh, nah, he won't say."

I say, "Well, ask again." She says, "I did."

Pete was sure it was Dialing For Dollars.

CONRAD: Yeah...

Well, I get to the phone and it's uh...

"Jim, this is Deke Slaton.

Would you be interested in flying for us?"

I said, "Well, Deke, let me think about that. Yes."

"Yeah, how-- how-- how soon do you want me?"

-LOVELL: Exactly. -MCDIVITT: And he said "Think about it."

He's in training for his Mercury mission.

Yanked from the flight line.

Boom, just like that he's grounded.

WHITE: Yeah, well,

some doctor had a piece of paper saying,

"Deke Slaton shouldn't fly because of something

called heart fibrillations."

I mean doesn't everybody's heart fibrillate?

I'm guessing it'll be a variation

on military rotation for Gemini.

You know, you back up prime crew.

You skip a couple of flights and end up prime yourself.

Getting on that rotation in the first place?

That's the trick.

The original seven's gonna fly way before any of us new nine.

So now, Deke Slaton's running the office.

Carpenter's history. John Glenn's leaving NASA.

He's gonna-- He's gonna run for president someday I think.

If he leaves, he's got my vote.

LOVELL: Oh, I don't know. What do you think?

Will Glenn be satisfied with just president?

Let's ask Armstrong.

Hey, Neil, would you vote for John Glenn for President?

Glenn for President, huh?

Well, that would depend. Who'd be running for king?

(LAUGHING)

JOHNSON: A great leader is dead.

A great nation must move on.

And as we bow our heads in submission

to divine providence,

let us also thank God

for the years that he gave us inspiration

through his servant John F. Kennedy.

And to honor his memory and the future

of the works that he started,

I have today determined that Station Number One

of the Atlantic Missile Range

and the NASA Launch Operation Center in Florida

shall hereafter be known

as the John F. Kennedy Space Center.

(MAN SPEAKING IN RUSSIAN)

(MAN SPEAKING IN RUSSIAN)

(MAN SPEAKING IN RUSSIAN)

(MAN SPEAKING IN RUSSIAN)

(MAN SPEAKING IN RUSSIAN)

NEWSCASTER: If there is a word that expresses

the Washington reaction to the Russian space

spectacular today, the word is admiration.

The actual getting out of the capsule itself

was more or less

uh, the next thing to happen.

More accurate word might be envy.

Soviet scientists are talking now

in terms of landing a man on the moon.

It was going to happen sooner or later.

-It was just a question of when. -The Russians started

ahead of us in space ventures. They have been ahead.

What they did today proves they are still ahead.

The Gemini capsule would certainly be equipped

to perform the same type of feat.

On the fourth flight, which could come late this year,

one of the American pilots will step outside.

Extravehicular activity!

That's just a fancy way of saying,

let's go outside for a walk.

The trouble is, it's cold out in space.

See? Even chilly. Freezing!

And there is no air to breathe out here.

NARRATOR: That's right, Woody.

If Americans are ever to walk on the moon,

the deadly vacuum of space must first be conquered.

-Captain See? -Captain's not necessary.

I'm a civilian.

We're having our PTA book fair on the 22nd.

And we would love it if NASA could arrange

another astronaut visit.

Well, I'd be happy to pass this along

to the Public Affairs Office.

Well, when I told the kids

that astronaut Elliott See was coming,

they all said, "Who?"

They think every astronaut is John Glenn.

Um, but I'm sure they will be glued to the TV

when you make your space shot.

NARRATOR: With such a suit, why, anyone could take

a walk in space or even a walk on the moon.

There you are, snug as a bug in a rug.

For a penguin, I mean.

Hey, where are you going?

My suit's at 3.5 psi and holding.

Great.

Yeah, mine's just about the same.

All right, you dirty dog, you ready to go ahead

and finish off with the cabin depress?

-Yeah, I'm ready. -MCDIVITT: All right. Let's go.

-Hawaii, Houston Flight. -MAN: Control Flight.

Tell him we're ready to have him come out when he is.

MAN: Roger. Understand.

KRAFT: Tell him to give us a mark.

WHITE: Gemini 4, CapCom.

Come on out, Ed. Make us all look good.

MAN: Gemini 4, CapCom.

You are good for EVA on your mark.

WHITE: Okay, I'm separating from the spacecraft.

Okay, my feet are out.

I think I'm dragging a little bit

but I don't wanna fire the gun yet.

Okay, I put a little roll in there.

It took me right out.

Am I in your view, Jimbo?

You know, Ed, I can't see through the window.

WHITE: Don't sweat it. I'm coming over to you.

There goes what looks like a thermal glove.

MCDIVITT: That's what it is, Ed.

All right.

WHITE: I'm coming above the spacecraft now.

It looks like we're coming up on the coast of California.

I'm under my own control.

There's no disorientation associated with it, none.

Okay, I'm kicking down underneath the spacecraft.

It's all very soft.

Particularly as long as you move nice and slow.

I feel very thankful to have the experience to be doing this.

MCDIVITT: You look beautiful, Ed.

Yeah, I feel like a million dollars.

Gemini 4, Houston CapCom.

Gemini 4, Houston CapCom.

Just for the record flight,

he's been out twice as long as Leonov.

Very good.

They're running out of daylight up there, CapCom,

let's get him back in now.

Gemini 4, Houston CapCom.

Gemini 4, Houston CapCom.

MCDIVITT: Ed, I don't know exactly where we are

but it looks like we're back over Texas again.

Gemini 4, Houston CapCom.

MCDIVITT: As a matter of fact,

yeah, you know that looks a lot like Houston down there.

GUS: Gemini 4, Houston CapCom.

MCDIVITT: Hey Gus, I don't know if you read,

but, uh, we're over Houston.

Why don't you run out and take a look?

Yeah, that's Galveston Bay right there.

GUS: Gemini 4, Houston CapCom.

WHITE: Hell, I could stay out here all day.

MCDIVITT: Well, let's see what Flight Director says.

Flight Director says get back in.

Tell that son of a bitch to get back in.

GUS: Gemini 4, Houston.

MCDIVITT: Gus, this is Jim. You got any message for us?

-Gemini 4, get back in. -MCDIVITT: Okay.

Ed, Houston wants you to come back in.

WHITE: Back in? Roger that.

GUS: Been talking for a while.

Coming in.

WHITE: This is the saddest moment of my life.

All right. All right. All right.

Ladies and gentlemen, Commander Roger Chaffee

is from the third class of brand new astronauts.

And he's flown in special from Houston

to tell us all how America,

is gonna beat the Russians to the moon.

Roger Chaffee.

(SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY)

Who the hell is Roger Chaffee?

-I came to see a real astronaut. -He's an astronaut.

He just hasn't been up yet.

He ain't flown outer space yet. He ain't no astronaut.

Thank you very much.

Ed White's extravehicular activity cleared a major hurdle.

Man can work in the vacuum of outer space,

and in a few years, on the surface of the moon.

Just last December,

Borman and Lovell in Gemini 7 were met in orbit

by Tom Stafford and Wally Schirra of Gemini 6.

But what they didn't do was literally link up or dock.

This NASA has yet to accomplish.

To do that, we have to, um,

develop a-- a special docking mechanism,

which we have here, in, um, diagram form.

Uh, you know, I...

I brought along someone who I-- I think can explain

all of this

one heck of a lot better than I can.

Blastoff!

(LAUGHING)

That's good.

I just remembered, I'm allergic to cheese.

Now comes the hard part, getting back home.

The lunar lander will fly up from the moon

and have to not only find the orbiting capsule,

but actually grab on to it.

-Howdy, fuzz! -Hey! Hello!

And home we go!

(LAUGHING)

SEABORN: This is Emmett Seaborn

with a special bulletin from St. Louis.

American astronauts Elliott See and Charles Bassett

have died in a crash of their T-38 jet aircraft.

The Gemini astronauts were flying to Lambert Field

to inspect their space capsule

at the McDonnell Aircraft Corporation

when the plane carrying the two astronauts

smashed into the roof of the assembly plant.

As crew of Gemini 9,

the pair were to have flown into space in early June.

They tried to keep the field in view...

Fellas give us a second, would you?

...while doing a turnaround under the cloud ceiling and overshot the runway.

Elliott tried to land BFR under that low overcast.

He hit the building and smashed into the barn

GILRUTH: Of the plant where the spacecraft

was being assembled.

-Good God! -It's a miracle

more people weren't killed.

Does that mean we're pushing too hard with our guys

flying all over the country in bad weather?

Jet pilots have to fly through a lot worse than overcast skies,

Jim. It was an accident.

Two astronauts who hadn't even been in space yet are dead.

You don't think Congress is gonna ask me

how something like that could have happened?

They'll slow us down, cancel missions,

just so they can look good.

GILRUTH: This is the first time a backup crew

is gonna be going into space.

Are Stafford and Cernan gonna be ready

-for Gemini 9? -Oh, this is exactly

why we have backup crews. Gene and Tom will be ready.

There are gonna be two very public funerals.

After which the press is gonna have a field day

about NASA wasting not just tax dollars

but human lives.

Just tell them, we dodged a bullet.

If See and Bassett had been killed

during an actual space mission?

Congress would all but shut NASA down

and Russia gets to the moon in a cakewalk.

Now, wait a minute, we have Neil Armstrong and Dave Scott

going up in Gemini 8 in two weeks, Jim.

There is no reason, none, to slip the launch.

We have to rendezvous and dock with Agena,

otherwise we are way behind, where we should be.

All right.

All right, we go on just as we have to.

And I'll fight it out with whoever tries

to close us down in Washington.

If for no other reason than to buy time,

time to rack up a couple of successful missions

so no one has anything to complain about.

But at the same time, gentlemen, let's all say some prayers

for nothing else to go wrong.

SCOTT: Bus arm to dock.

Eight to Tananarive, CapCom, We copy.

SCOTT: CDA Control, both switches off.

Agena docking light is green. Agena power light is green.

CapCom: Gemini 8, we have telemetry solid.

Looking good on the ground. You're still go for docking.

SCOTT: Okay, contact light. We have capture and rigidizing.

Flight, we are docked with the Agena.

It's... it was really a smoothie.

CapCom: Uh, roger, Dave.

Hey, congratulations. This is real good.

You can't have the thrill down there that we have up here.

CapCom: We have you at loss of signal in ten seconds.

-We'll acquire over CSQ. -SCOTT: Very good.

PRESS REPRESENTATIVE: All right, the letters LOS

stand for loss of signal.

Armstrong and Scott are going to be

out of communication, as Gemini travels

from the Tananarive tracking station

toward the one on board the ship, Coastal Sentry Quebec,

or CSQ.

Well, where are they now, Armstrong and Scott?

Well, it looks as if they're just below the coast of India,

crossing over.

(THRUSTERS BLOWING)

Neil, we're rolling. We're in a bank.

Plus 30 degrees. What the hell is this?

We shouldn't be moving like this.

I don't get it, I can't control it.

-Shut down the Agena. -I did. Command 400.

It's down.

Then what the hell is this?

Our rate is picking up. It's just getting worse.

Let's hope it's something wrong with the Agena.

We better disengage.

You ready?

-Yes, sir. -Undock.

(THRUSTERS BLOWING)

-Hey, Deke! -Hey Pete,

you better get in here and do some work.

Yeah work. I heard of that. Spelled with a W, isn't it?

NEIL: I can't stop it, Dave. You wanna give it a try?

SCOTT: I got it.

Man, what is this?

Gemini 8, CSQ CapCom, how do you--

NEIL: We have serious problems here.

We're tumbling end over end.

We've separated from the Agena.

We're rolling up and we can't turn anything off.

We are continuously increasing left roll.

-CSQ, Flight. -CSQ: Go ahead, Flight.

HODGES: Did he say he could not turn the Agena off?

CSQ: No, he said that he separated

from the Agena and is in a roll and he can't stop it.

His reg pressure is down to zero.

Gemini 8, CSQ.

We are in a violent left roll here.

We can't turn the OAMS off and we can't fire them.

One of the OAMS thrusters gotta be stuck on.

I'm isolating the attitude system.

I'm shutting it down.

Did I hear a stuck hand controller?

CSQ: That's affirmative, Flight. We can't seem

to get any valid data here.

They're in a violent tumble.

-What about the Agena? -Flight Surgeon!

-Go ahead. -Their roll's too violent.

There's a danger of tunnel vision

with a possibility of blacking out.

(THRUSTERS BLOWING)

NEIL: We can't take much more of this.

Not it.

All we have left is the re-entry control system,

Dave.

SCOTT: We bring up the RCS, they'll abort the mission.

NEIL: Not much choice here.

(THRUSTERS BLOWING)

Okay.

SCOTT: Good, Neil. You're bringing it down.

Okay, we're regaining control of the spacecraft slowly

on RCS direct.

-CSQ: Roger. copy. -We're pulsing the RCS

pretty slowly here, trying to kill our roll rate.

CSQ: Understand, Gemini.

We show you maneuvering on your RCS, that's affirmative.

All right, if they've brought up the RCS, then the flight's over.

That's mission rules. We gotta bring them in.

CSQ: Gemini 8, CSQ.

How much RCS have you used and are you just on one ring?

NEIL: We are on one ring, trying to save the other ring.

We started out on two rings but we are now on one ring.

-And the RCS? -Doesn't matter. End of story.

We bring 'em in.

CSQ: What about the RCS, Houston?

NEIL: We're down to about 1700 pounds...

Recovery, are you getting all this?

-Roger. -CSQ, Flight.

Let's get that spacecraft sea band beacon on.

Re-entry sea band beacon on.

CSQ: We've lost contact with the spacecraft, Flight.

Okay. We'll get 'em over Hawaii.

Let's hope so.

The re-entry guidance program isn't in the computer.

So they will have to manually enter the pad

then verify the self-tests with us.

They can't do that and get secure in one orbit.

They need some time.

-All right. All right. -Right?

Uh, two passes over Rose Knot Victor, then.

Alert the secondary recovery zones.

Let's bring them down in 7-dash-3.

SCOTT: Naha rescue 1, Gemini 8.

Naha rescue 1, Gemini 8.

They ain't out there.

SCOTT: Three-to five-foot waves, sure.

(RADIO STATIC)

They didn't say anything about these swells.

The fumes from the heat shield really help.

You think they even, know we're here, Neil?

Not to worry, Dave.

If nothing else, we'll just float along to China.

Oh, God, give me that bag.

Naha rescue 1, this is Gemini 8.

Naha rescue 1, this is Gemini 8.

DEKE: Neil Armstrong did everything

a pilot should.

He probably saved the space program

in the process.

But I want a Mercury veteran

to fly the first Apollo mission, Gus.

It's simple as that. A brand-new spacecraft.

Wally will back you up.

Who'd be the choices for my crew?

I want the best, Deke.

I was thinking of Donn Eisele

but then he went and broke his shoulder

in the Vomit Comet, so...

What about Ed White?

Eddie? Sure, I'll take him. Who else you got?

Well, I'm mighty impressed with Roger Chaffee.

He flew photo missions over Cuba during the Missile Crisis.

He's smart too.

-Wears down the engineers... -(VOICES OVERLAPPING)

...when he starts talking about their systems.

And there's, there's one last thing, Gus,

about the rotation.

We won't know the flight schedule

for some time.

But I'd sure like to have one of the original

Mercury astronauts still flying when Apollo

makes that first moon landing.

♪ (AMBIENT MUSIC PLAYING) ♪

Interesting you should say that, Deke.

Just so happens,

I'm one of the original Mercury astronauts.

WEBB: Roger Chaffee is a rookie astronaut

chosen out of a field literally of thousands.

Ed White is a veteran astronaut.

He's made our first spacewalk back on Gemini 4.

Gus Grissom, the Apollo 1 commander,

has already flown both Mercury and Gemini spacecraft.

And this three-man crew and the engineers

are well into the development and training phase

of Apollo procedures and hardware.

Therefore, I can say yes, we are winning

the so-called space race.

We have not only caught up with the Soviets,

we have surpassed them in many areas.

We have kept men in space longer,

we have achieved orbital rendezvous

of two spacecraft and the docking of two vehicles

in orbit. Now, these are not only firsts

in their own right,

but important steps to our long-range goal

of landing on the moon with the Apollo program

Miss Hedges, a follow-up.

Should the Russians beat us to the moon, Mr. Webb,

will the costly Apollo program be continued?

Landing the first man on the moon

is the priority of NASA and the American taxpayers

who are footing the bill. I do not see their support

wavering until we do so.

Gavin O'Rourke.

Mr. Webb, uh, NASA achievements and taxpayer will aside,

are we gonna beat the Russians in this contest?

Will the United States put the first man on the moon?

It is my job and the job of 400,000 men and women

around the country to see to it that we do.

(CHATTER IN THE CONTROL ROOM)

LOVELL: We have ignition.

We have liftoff.

♪ (AMBIENT MUSIC PLAYING) ♪

RADIO ANNOUNCER: And liftoff!

MAN: There you go!

WOMAN: Hurry up! Wait.

There it is!

NEWS ANCHOR: America is one step closer

to the moon with the launch of Gemini 12.

Flight Commander Jim Lovell is a veteran astronaut.

Pilot Edwin Aldrin makes his first journey

into space.

From Houston, Science Editor Emmett Seaborn.

In one of the luckiest coincidences

of this space program

Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin, who had worked

on orbital rendezvous for his doctoral thesis at MIT,

was seated in the right-hand seat of Gemini 12

when the on-board computer suddenly refused to accept data

from the rendezvous radar.

Using an 8-power sextant and charts developed in the case

of just such a malfunction,

Aldrin guided Commander Jim Lovell

to a successful rendezvous and docking

with the Agena target vehicle.

This was an important moment for NASA,

as it proves the skills honed during the ten Gemini missions

can overcome potentially catastrophic problems.

Problems that could arise on a flight

as crammed as Gemini 12.

In four days, the crew is expected to dock

twice more with the Agena,

using its rocket engine to send them

into an even higher orbit around the Earth.

♪ (DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING) ♪

SEABORN: Three spacewalks,

Dr. Rendezvous himself, Buzz Aldrin,

will perform experiments, photograph star fields

and remain outside the capsule

longer than any astronaut to date.

Using modified handrails and equipment

specifically designed for work in zero gravity.

♪ (ORCHESTRAL MUSIC PLAYING) ♪

SEABORN: For Lovell,

who'll remain inside the spacecraft,

these four days of orbiting the Earth,

together with the 14 days aboard Gemini 7,

will make him the most travelled man in history.

ALDRIN: Jim, I'm gonna clean your windshield.

Hey, Buzz, check the oil too, would you?

SEABORN: And so, the curtain rings down

on this second act of man's voyage to the moon.

NASA officials are confident that the third act,

Project Apollo,

will place a human being,

in the form of an American astronaut,

on the moon

sometime before midnight New Year's Eve, 1969.

From Houston, I'm Emmett Seaborn.

♪ (DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING) ♪

(PEOPLE CHATTERING)

-Morning, Deke. -How you doing?

-Some crowd, huh? -They all think

you're gonna announcing your return

to the flight rotation.

You can announce mine while you're at it.

At least I can teach a couple of 'em.

Yes, you could.

-(PEOPLE LAUGHING) -(PEOPLE CHATTERING)

Owen Maynard

and the Mission Operations Division has laid out a plan

for the series of Apollo flights that will lead up to landing

on the moon.

Each of these missions has a letter.

The A and B missions will be unmanned tests.

The C mission will be the first manned flight

of the command and service module,

uh, Gus, Ed and Roger, in Apollo 1.

The D mission will be the first dual flight

of the CSM with the lunar module in low-Earth orbit

to test it out.

The E mission will do the same

in high-Earth orbit for re-entry procedures.

The F mission will go all the way

to lunar orbit with the LM but will not land.

That will be the objective

of whoever takes the first G mission.

Now, each of these missions must be successfully completed

before we can move on to the next type of mission.

If we have problems with the, uh, rendezvous radar

or the pliss backpacks or the retracting probe,

we will go to a D-1 or a D-2 or even a D-3 mission

before we attempt the first E mission.

So, even though,

there are only five manned missions laid out,

it does not necessarily mean that the fifth group

will make the first landing,

which brings me to the point of this meeting.

Assembled here are those of you that are left

from the original seven Mercury astronauts,

as well as the new nine or the next nine

or whatever you guys call yourselves.

And some of the third group.

The crew assignments that will be made concern you

in the following manner.

The men in this room will be making moon landings.

Two of you will be first.

I don't know which two that will be.

But I do know that the first man to walk on the moon

walked into this room today, and is looking at me right now.

As well as the second,

the third and the fourth and so on.

Just thought you might wanna know that.

-(WHISTLES) -(PEOPLE CHATTERING)

(CLEARS THROAT) That is all, gentlemen.

(PEOPLE CHATTERING)

MAN: That's good.

♪ (MUSIC PLAYING) ♪