Original subtitles

♪

Man: THE EAGLE HAS WINGS.

Man: ROGER.

[RADIO CHATTER]

Man: THE LANDING OF APOLLO 11

WAS SUCH A CLIFFHANGER

THAT IT WAS ALMOST AS IF YOU TOOK

ALL THE TENSION OF EIGHT YEARS OF TRYING TO GET TO THE MOON

AND JUST DISTILLED IT DOWN TO THIS ONE MOMENT.

Man: WE’RE STANDING BY FOR EAGLE.

Man: EAGLE, HOW DO YOU READ?

Man: BYE-BYE, EAGLE.

WE’RE STANDING BY FOR YOUR BURN REPORT, OVER.

Man: IT’S A DECADE WORTH OF BLOOD AND TREASURE

INVESTED IN THIS.

Man: WE’RE STILL GO. ALTITUDE 27,000 FEET.

Man: SAME ALARM, AND IT APPEARS TO COME UP

WHEN WE HAVE A 1668 UP.

Man: NOBODY WANTS TO BE THE ONE WHO SAYS,

"SORRY, I HAVE TO ABORT."

BUT YOU ALSO DON’T WANT TO BE THE ONE WHO CRASHES ON THE MOON.

Man: 2,000 FEET. 2,000 FEET...

Woman: ALL OF THE WORK OF 400,000 PEOPLE

REALLY CAME DOWN TO THAT LAST MINUTE.

Man: 60 SECONDS.

LIGHTS ON.

30 FEET, 2 1/2 DOWN.

Man: THEY ONLY HAVE ENOUGH FUEL FOR ONE SHOT AT THIS,

WHICH HAS BEEN EIGHT YEARS IN THE MAKING,

IS THE RESULT OF A PRESIDENTIAL CHALLENGE

TO DO SOMETHING THAT SEEMS ALMOST LIKE SCIENCE FICTION.

AND IT’S ALL HANGING IN THE BALANCE.

Man: 30 SECONDS...

♪

Narrator: THEY HAD THE RIGHT STUFF.

BUT THE SMITHSONIAN HAS THE REAL STUFF.

WITH INSIDER ACCESS...

GET BEHIND THE GALLERIES...

AND INTO THE VAULTS...

TO SEE HOW ONE MAN’S CHALLENGE...

President Kennedy: OF LANDING A MAN ON THE MOON...

Narrator: SPARKED A CHASE INTO SPACE.

WITH RARE ARCHIVAL INTERVIEWS WITH THE ASTRONAUTS...

Man: I THINK IT’S PROBABLY NASA’S FINEST HOUR.

Narrator: FILM THAT STILL DAZZLES DECADES LATER...

Astronaut: YOU CAN SEE THE SOLAR WIND THERE.

IT LOOKS LIKE IT’S BLOWING.

Narrator: AND STORIES DRAWN FROM THE ARTIFACTS THEMSELVES.

Woman: THIS IS A REAL LUNAR MODULE.

Narrator: RELIVE ONE OF THE MOST RIVETING MOMENTS IN HISTORY,

WHEN ANOTHER WORLD BECKONED,

AND WE TOOK THE BAIT.

♪

[BEEPING]

Narrator: THIS IS THE SOUND OF SPUTNIK.

THE FIRST SOVIET SATELLITE ARCS OVER AMERICA

ON A SLEEPY FRIDAY NIGHT IN 1957.

[BEEPING]

Teasel Muir-Harmony: EISENHOWER HAD ALREADY

LEFT WASHINGTON TO GO GOLFING,

HE WENT AWAY FOR THE WEEKEND.

AND A LOT OF AMERICANS WERE JUST HOME.

"LEAVE IT TO BEAVER" PREMIERED THAT NIGHT,

AND SO IT CAME AS QUITE A BIT OF A SHOCK.

Narrator: EACH BEEP IS LIKE A TAUNT.

AMERICANS CAN HEAR IT WITH THEIR HAM RADIOS--

A CLEAR SIGNAL THAT THE SOVIETS HAVE BEATEN AMERICA INTO SPACE.

[BEEPING]

Bill Barry: SPUTNIK KIND OF CAUGHT PEOPLE BY SURPRISE.

THE SOVIET UNION WAS CONSIDERED TO BE

A TECHNOLOGICALLY BACKWARD COUNTRY,

GENERALLY SPEAKING AT THE TIME.

ON TOP OF THAT, THEY’D BEEN DEVASTATED BY WORLD WAR II.

♪

Narrator: ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WORLD,

AMERICA APPEARS TO BE THRIVING.

IT’S 1957.

THE POST-WAR BOOM IS IN FULL BLOOM.

Muir-Harmony: AND SO THERE WAS AN EXPECTATION AMONG MANY PEOPLE

THAT THE U.S. WOULD BE FIRST IN SPACE EXPLORATION.

Narrator: BUT A FOREIGN SATELLITE

IS NOW CIRCLING THE GLOBE,

BRAGGING WITH ITS INCESSANT BEEP.

[BEEPING]

IT MAY AS WELL BE THE SOUND OF A STARTING GUN.

[BEEPING]

THE SPACE RACE IS ON.

Margaret Weitekamp: THE REAL SHOCK OF SPUTNIK

IS NOT NECESSARILY THE BEEP BEEP BEEP

OF THE VERY FIRST SATELLITE,

BUT THE ONE-TWO PUNCH OF SPUTNIK 1 AND SPUTNIK 2

LAUNCHED WITHIN A MONTH OF EACH OTHER.

Narrator: THIS TIME,

THE SOVIETS LAUNCH MORE THAN A BEEPING BALL.

[ROARING]

SPUTNIK 2 CARRIES A DOG NAMED LAIKA.

SOVIET UNION TWO,

AMERICA NOTHING.

♪

A MONTH LATER,

AMERICANS HAVE THEIR FIRST SATELLITE

ON THE LAUNCH PAD.

THE VANGUARD TV-3.

THEY PLACE IT ON TOP OF A ROCKET BUILT ON A BUDGET.

COMPONENTS INCLUDE

SPRINGS PLUCKED FROM COMMON HOUSEHOLD MOUSETRAPS.

SOME ARE SKEPTICAL OF THE EFFORT.

ONE ENGINEER REMEMBERS SENATOR JOHN F. KENNEDY

DISMISSING ROCKETS AS A WASTE OF MONEY.

ON THE MORNING OF THE LAUNCH,

ROCKET FEVER DESCENDS UPON CAPE CANAVERAL.

LOCAL SHOPS SELL OUT OF BINOCULARS.

IT’S A NERVE-RACKING COUNTDOWN.

Man: 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0...

LIFTOFF.

[ENGINE ROARING]

[EXPLOSIONS]

Narrator: SOMEONE IN THE CONTROL ROOM SCREAMS.

ANOTHER YELLS, "DUCK!"

THE SATELLITE ITSELF IS THROWN FROM THE BLAST...

AND ENDS UP HERE,

AT SMITHSONIAN’S NATIONAL AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM.

David DeVorkin: THE SATELLITE WAS THROWN OUT OF THE ROCKET

AND ROLLED,

AND ALSO CRACKED OPEN.

THE ANTENNAE WERE ALL BENT AND EVERYTHING,

BUT THE INTERIOR TRANSMITTER WAS STILL OPERATING.

AND IT WAS BEEPING, TELLING PEOPLE IT WAS ALIVE.

THE DAMAGE INDICATES, CLEARLY IN THE EXPLOSION,

IT WAS HEATED UP QUITE A BIT

BY THE FLAMES OF THE BURSTING ROCKET.

THERE WAS ALSO AN IMPACT DAMAGE,

BECAUSE THIS PART WAS SPLIT OPEN.

THIS IS THE WAY THEY FOUND IT.

THE TV SERIES WAS A SMALL VEHICLE

THAT WOULD BE VERY EASY TO LAUNCH.

IT WAS A TEST TO SEE THAT THE SYSTEM WOULD WORK,

THAT IT COULD TRANSMIT INFORMATION BACK TO THE GROUND.

ONCE SPUTNIK FLEW,

IT CREATED CONSIDERABLE PRESSURE TO ANSWER THE LAUNCH.

THE FACT WAS THAT WE HAD TO MAKE IT WORK,

AND IT DIDN’T.

♪

Narrator: THE PUBLIC SEES A FAILURE.

SCIENTISTS SEE A LEARNING CURVE.

Man: 45 SECONDS, RUDDER DRIVE ON...

Narrator: LESS THAN TWO MONTHS LATER,

AMERICA TRIES AGAIN WITH THE EXPLORER 1 SATELLITE.

Man: I THINK WE’RE ALL CLEAR HERE, BOB.

Narrator: IT’S NOW AT THE MERCY OF SOME 50,000 POUNDS OF FUEL

THAT’S SUPPOSED TO EXPLODE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION

AND LIFT IT SKYWARD.

Man: 4, 3, 2, 1...

[ENGINES ROAR]

Narrator: AMERICA’S FIRST SATELLITE

IS IN THE AIR.

Man: LOOKIN’ GOOD HERE.

Narrator: THE CONTROL ROOM WAITS FOR ORBITAL CONFIRMATION.

Man: GOING REAL GOOD.

STILL LOOKS FINE HERE.

Narrator: SOMEONE FINALLY BRINGS IN A NOTE--

"GOLDSTONE HAS THE BIRD."

BUT THE GOLDSTONE TRACKING STATION IN CALIFORNIA

ISN’T THE ONLY ONE WATCHING.

Steve Maran: THE WHOLE IDEA

THAT THERE WERE SATELLITES ROTATING AROUND THE EARTH

CAME RIGHT OUT OF SCIENCE FICTION.

I WAS AN 18-YEAR-OLD COLLEGE STUDENT IN BROOKLYN,

STUDYING PHYSICS,

AND I WAS AN AMATEUR ASTRONOMER.

SOMEHOW OR OTHER WE GOT PERMISSION

TO GO UP ON THE ROOF OF THE RCA BUILDING

SO WE COULD GET A GOOD VIEW FROM NEW YORK CITY

OF THE SATELLITES AS THEY CAME OVER THE EARTH.

Narrator: STEVE AND OTHERS AROUND THE WORLD

USED THIS TELESCOPE TO WATCH HISTORY ZOOM OVERHEAD.

Steve: WE WERE PARTICIPATING

IN THE SMITHSONIAN’S OPERATION MOONWATCH,

A WORLDWIDE EFFORT ORGANIZED BY THE SMITHSONIAN

TO PREPARE TO TRACK THE FIRST SATELLITES OF THE EARTH.

WE HAD A NUMBER OF THESE PLACED ALONG A TABLE

SO THAT THEIR FIELDS OF VIEW CREATED KIND OF A PICKET FENCE

ACROSS THE SKY.

WE KNEW THE SATELLITE WAS COMING,

WE DIDN’T KNOW EXACTLY WHERE OR EXACTLY WHEN,

BUT AT LEAST ONE OF THE TELESCOPES

WOULD CATCH IT WHEN IT WENT BY.

♪

Narrator: STEVE’S OWN HOME MOVIES

SHOW THE THRILL OF BEING AT THE TOP OF THE CITY SKYLINE

AND TRYING TO LOOK EVEN HIGHER.

Steve: THIS WAS ALL STUFF OUT OF SCIENCE FICTION.

AND ALL OF A SUDDEN IT WAS HAPPENING,

AND WE WERE ON THE CUTTING EDGE OF SEEING WHAT WAS GOING ON.

SO THAT WAS EXCITING ENOUGH TO KEEP YOU UP ALL NIGHT.

♪

Narrator: AMERICA AND THE SOVIET UNION

DREAM OF LAUNCHING MUCH MORE THAN SATELLITES.

Man: ROGER THAT.

Narrator: THEY DREAM OF LAUNCHING HUMANS

TO THE NEXT STEPPING STONE IN SPACE--

NEARLY 240,000 MILES AWAY.

BUT RIGHT NOW,

A MOON SHOT IS JUST PIE IN THE SKY.

IN 1958,

NASA POSTS A NEW POSITION,

OPEN ONLY TO MILITARY TEST PILOTS.

JOB TITLE--ASTRONAUT.

PROJECT--MERCURY.

AMERICA’S FIRST HUMAN SPACEFLIGHT PROGRAM.

AT FIRST, IT’S A SECRET PROJECT ON SHAKY GROUND.

John Glenn: WE DIDN’T KNOW HOW FAR THE PROGRAM WAS GOING TO GO.

FOR A WHILE WE DIDN’T EVEN KNOW IF IT WAS GOING TO GO.

[JETS ROAR]

Narrator: JOB APPLICANTS RECALL THE EXPERIENCE

IN RECORDINGS UNEARTHED FROM THE NASA VAULT.

Wally Schirra: THESE THREE MEN TRIED TO CONVINCE ME

HOW NEAT IT WOULD BE TO GET IN A CAPSULE ON TOP OF A ROCKET.

I SAID, "NO WAY!

I’M AN AVIATOR, I’M A HOTSHOT FLYBOY,

I’M A TEST PILOT."

[JETS ROAR]

Gordon Cooper: I WAS ORDERED TO REPORT TO WASHINGTON.

NO EXPLANATION OR ANYTHING.

I DIDN’T EVEN KNOW WE WERE GOING TO HAVE A SPACE PROGRAM.

Narrator: AFTER HUNDREDS APPLY,

SEVEN MAKE THE CUT.

GUS GRISSOM.

SCOTT CARPENTER.

DEKE SLAYTON.

WALLY SCHIRRA.

GORDON COOPER.

ALAN SHEPARD.

AND JOHN GLENN.

ON APRIL 9, 1959,

NASA INTRODUCES ITS FIRST CLASS OF ASTRONAUTS.

THE MEDIA IS READY.

THE MEN ARE NOT.

Schirra: THIS WAS A BIG SURPRISE.

SEVEN OF US SITTING ON A STAGE IN WASHINGTON, D.C.,

WITH A BUNCH OF PRESS CORPS.

THEY WERE THERE, INTERROGATING US.

Glenn: JOKINGLY, OF COURSE, SAID THAT I GOT ON THIS PROJECT

BECAUSE IT WOULD PROBABLY BE

THE NEAREST TO HEAVEN I’D EVER GET,

AND I WANTED TO MAKE THE MOST OF IT.

Weitekamp: JOHN GLENN REALLY SHONE AT THAT PRESS CONFERENCE.

HE WAS VERY ADEPT AT PUBLIC SPEAKING

AND HAD NATURAL CHARISMA THAT CAME ACROSS VERY MUCH.

Glenn: I ALSO AGREE WHOLEHEARTEDLY WITH GUS HERE.

I THINK WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE THAT WE HAVE, SHOULD WE SAY,

BEEN BLESSED WITH THE TALENTS

THAT HAVE BEEN PICKED FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS.

Narrator: THEY QUICKLY BECOME COVER STORIES.

Andrew Chaikin: THEY HADN’T EVEN FLOWN IN SPACE,

AND THEY WERE ALREADY HOUSEHOLD NAMES

AND THEY WERE CELEBRITIES.

Narrator: BUT THEY’RE ALSO COMPETITORS.

Alan Shepard: PROJECT MERCURY IS JUST ONE PART.

THERE WERE SEVEN GUYS COMPETING FOR THE FIRST JOB,

WHATEVER THAT TURNED OUT TO BE.

Narrator: THE FIRST JOB, THEY ASSUME,

IS TO BE THE FIRST HUMAN IN SPACE.

ALL SEVEN BEGIN A CRASH COURSE IN SPACE TRAVEL.

Glenn: ONCE WE WERE SELECTED,

IT WAS SORT OF OPEN-ENDED

AS TO WHAT KIND OF THINGS PEOPLE COULD THINK UP FOR US TO DO

THAT MIGHT HAVE SOME WEIRD REMOTE APPLICATION

TO SPACE FLIGHT.

Narrator: WALLY SCHIRRA ENDURES A HEAT CHAMBER.

GUS GRISSOM TRIES TO FLY BLINDFOLDED.

AND JOHN GLENN BECOMES A HUMAN TEST DUMMY FOR G-FORCES.

ASTRONAUTS CALL THIS CENTRIFUGE "THE BEAST."

Glenn: YOU’RE STRAINING JUST AS HARD AS YOU POSSIBLY CAN STRAIN

TO KEEP ENOUGH BLOOD UP IN YOUR HEAD

TO KEEP FROM BLACKING OUT.

Narrator: THEY SPIN SO VIOLENTLY

THAT THEIR HEARTS BANG INTO THEIR LUNGS,

KNOCKING THE WIND OUT OF THEM.

THEY TEST FOR EVERY CONDITION

THEY CAN IMAGINE IN SPACE FLIGHT.

BUT WHAT ABOUT WEIGHTLESSNESS?

THE AIR FORCE DEVISES A WAY TO SIMULATE ZERO GRAVITY.

THE MERCURY SEVEN ARE AGAIN THE GUINEA PIGS.

A C-131 TRANSPORT ASCENDS TO 40,000 FEET.

INSIDE ARE THE FUTURE ASTRONAUTS

AND ONE NERVOUS REPORTER WITH A TAPE RECORDER.

Art Freeman: MY HAND IS SHAKING.

I DON’T KNOW IF MY VOICE SOUNDS FUNNY OR NOT.

Narrator: THEN THE PLANE TOPS OUT LIKE A ROLLERCOASTER...

AND THE MEN BEGIN TO FLOAT.

Freeman: WE ARE NOW WEIGHTLESS.

WE ARE NOW WEIGHTLESS.

GOOD LORD!

WHAT AN INTERESTING FEELING THIS IS.

♪

Narrator: DOCTORS HAVE NO IDEA

IF HUMANS CAN SURVIVE LONG IN WEIGHTLESSNESS.

WILL THEIR ORGANS FUNCTION?

WILL FOOD STAY DOWN IF THERE’S NO UP OR DOWN ANYMORE?

THEY CALL THIS THE VOMIT COMET,

AND IT’S THE ONLY WAY TO TEST THE POSSIBILITIES

AND PROBLEMS OF ZERO GRAVITY.

♪

THE AIR FORCE EVEN TRIES IT ON ANIMALS.

THEY APPEAR FAR LESS ENTHUSIASTIC.

DOCTORS ALSO WORRY

ABOUT THE PSYCHOLOGICAL STRESS OF SPACE TRAVEL

ON THE MERCURY SEVEN.

THEY PRESENT MEMORY PUZZLES FOR TESTING...

RANDOM DRAWINGS FOR ANALYSIS...

INK BLOTS FOR INTERPRETATION.

Muir-Harmony: THEY WERE ALSO TESTED

FOR THEIR ABILITY TO WORK WITH OTHERS.

THEY WERE ASKED QUESTIONS LIKE "WHO AM I?"

AND THEN ASKED TO EXPLAIN WHO THEY WERE.

Narrator: WHAT THEY ARE IS FEARLESS.

NASA PSYCHIATRISTS ARE ASTOUNDED BY BRAVERY

THAT BORDERS ON RECKLESSNESS.

THEIR WORST FEAR ISN’T DYING.

IT’S NOT BEING ALLOWED TO FLY.

THEY’VE TESTED THE MEN.

NOW THEY TEST THE MACHINES.

Shepard: WE HAD ESSENTIALLY A NEW PRODUCT.

IT DIDN’T LOOK VERY MUCH LIKE AN AIRPLANE,

BUT IF YOU WERE GOING TO PUT A PILOT IN,

IT WAS GOING TO HAVE TO FLY SOMEHOW LIKE AN AIRPLANE.

Narrator: AS THE ASTRONAUTS CHECK OUT THE SPACE CAPSULE,

THEY REALIZE THE INITIAL MERCURY MISSIONS

WON’T BE MUCH LIKE FLYING A PLANE.

MORE LIKE RIDING A BULLET.

A ROCKET WILL LAUNCH THE CAPSULE

WITH ENOUGH SPEED TO CLEAR THE ATMOSPHERE--

MORE THAN 5,000 MILES PER HOUR.

AFTER MERE MINUTES,

THE CAPSULE’S RETRO ROCKETS WILL SLOW IT DOWN FOR RE-ENTRY--

A FIERY FREE-FALL INTO THE ATLANTIC OCEAN,

SLOWED ONLY BY PARACHUTES

NEAR THE VERY END.

NASA DROPS EMPTY CAPSULES TO TEST THOSE PARACHUTES.

A THIN NYLON BARRIER BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH.

NORMALLY,

A PARACHUTE IS A TEST PILOT’S LAST CHANCE TO LIVE

AFTER EJECTING FROM AN AIRCRAFT.

NOW THE PARACHUTE IS PLAN A.

THERE IS NO PLAN B.

AS THE OLD JOKE GOES,

IT’S NOT THE FALL THAT’LL KILL YOU;

IT’S THE LANDING.

Barry: IT’S VERY CLEAR WHAT THE CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE ARE

TO THE ASTRONAUTS AND TO EVERYBODY.

Narrator: SO THEY TEST THE PARACHUTES

OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

NO ONE HAS SAID IT QUITE YET,

BUT FAILURE IS NOT AN OPTION.

♪

THE AMERICAN SPACE PROGRAM IS COMING TO THE AFRICAN BUSH.

Weitekamp: CREATING THE MERCURY PROGRAM

MEANT CREATING NOT ONLY THE LAUNCH VEHICLES

AND THE CAPSULES

AND THE CREW THAT COULD GO IN THEM,

BUT ALSO CREATING ALL OF THE GROUND SUPPORT

OF A WHOLE NETWORK OF LISTENING STATIONS

AND COMMUNICATION STATIONS AROUND THE WORLD.

Narrator: NASA SENDS NEW EMPLOYEES FAR AFIELD

TO BUILD THIS NEW NETWORK.

ONE OF THEM IS ARNOLD ALDRICH.

Arnold Aldrich: I DIDN’T KNOW TOO MUCH

ABOUT THE SPACE PROGRAM.

NASA WAS ONLY LIKE NINE MONTHS OLD.

Narrator: THEY ARRIVE IN PLACES

LIKE NIGERIA, MOROCCO, AND KENYA,

FULLY EQUIPPED WITH POCKET PROTECTORS,

READY TO CONQUER SPACE.

Aldrich: WE HAD QUITE A FEW JUST FRESH COLLEGE GRADUATES

WHO WERE READY TO TACKLE ANYTHING,

BUT DIDN’T HAVE A LOT OF EXPERIENCE,

AND ALSO DIDN’T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT WHAT COULDN’T BE DONE.

Narrator: THEY JOIN MILITARY PERSONNEL

TO BE THE EYES AND EARS OF MERCURY

WHEN IT TRIES TO STRETCH FLIGHTS BEYOND THE ATLANTIC OCEAN.

THEY WILL TRACK FLIGHTS AS THEY COME OVER AFRICA,

COMMUNICATE WITH THE SPACECRAFT,

AND SEND DATA BACK TO MISSION CONTROL.

SOME STATIONS MORE QUICKLY THAN OTHERS.

Aldrich: ONLY HALF OF THEM

HAD VOICE COMMUNICATION WITH THE CONTROL CENTER.

YOU COULDN’T TALK TO THE CAPE.

THEY ONLY COMMUNICATED VIA TELETYPE.

SO YOU WOULD WRITE OUT WHAT YOU WANTED TO SAY

ON A PIECE OF PAPER,

YOU WOULD HAND IT TO A TELETYPE OPERATOR.

HE’D RUN OVER TO THE TELETYPE MACHINE

AND TYPE IT IN.

AND THEN IT WOULD TAKE SOME PERIOD OF TIME,

AND IT WOULD TYPE OUT AT THE CAPE,

AND THEY’D READ IT.

[TAPPING]

♪

Narrator: WORLDWIDE COMMUNICATION

IS IN ITS INFANCY.

BUT TRAVEL BUGS HAVE BEEN AROUND FOREVER.

Aldrich: ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT

PIECES OF EQUIPMENT WE HAD

WAS THE BOTTLE OF KAOPECTATE,

AND IT WOULD SIT UP ON TOP OF THE CONSOLE.

Narrator: ALDRICH’S OWN FATHER

WONDERS WHAT IN THE WORLD HIS SON IS DOING

SO FAR FROM HOME.

Aldrich: MY DAD ASKED ME, YOU KNOW,

WHEN I WAS GOING TO ACTUALLY GET SOME REAL JOB TO WORK ON.

I MEAN, THIS IS NICE TO WORK ON THESE ESOTERIC THINGS,

BUT, YOU KNOW, WHEN ARE YOU GONNA GO START

AND ACTUALLY WORK ON SOMETHING?

Narrator: THAT "ESOTERIC SOMETHING"

IS ABOUT TO GET MUCH MORE REAL.

A MERCURY CAPSULE ARRIVES IN FLORIDA TO MEET ITS FATE--

A RIDE ATOP THIS REDSTONE ROCKET.

THE EMPTY CAPSULE WILL LAUNCH INTO SPACE

AND SEND BACK PERFORMANCE DATA.

THEY HAVE TO MAKE SURE IT WORKS BEFORE PUTTING A PERSON INSIDE.

THE SCIENCE OF ROCKETRY MEETS THE ART OF CAPSULE DESIGN

IN THIS CRITICAL TEST FLIGHT.

MERCURY 1, NOVEMBER 1960.

Man: 3, 2, 1, 0...

IGNITION.

Narrator: THE ROCKET GETS NO HIGHER

THAN FOUR INCHES.

Barry: IT WAS A PRETTY EMBARRASSING EVENT OVERALL.

WE’RE READY TO LAUNCH OUR FIRST REDSTONE

ON A SUBORBITAL FLIGHT TO TEST THE MERCURY CAPSULE,

AND IT DOESN’T GO ANYWHERE BUT A COUPLE OF INCHES.

Narrator: BOOSTERS LIGHT UP...

THEN INEXPLICABLY SHUT DOWN.

THE ESCAPE TOWER SHOOTS OFF BY ITSELF.

THE CAPSULE’S PARACHUTES POP OPEN

AND DRAPE ALONGSIDE THE ROCKET.

THE NATION APPEARS TO BE STUMBLING INTO SPACE.

THE NEW PRESIDENT, JOHN F. KENNEDY,

DOESN’T LIKE THE OPTICS.

Muir-Harmony: THE FAILURE OF MERCURY 1

WAS SEEN AS ANOTHER BLOW TO U.S. PRESTIGE

IN THAT THE U.S. KEPT ON TRAILING BEHIND

THE SOVIET UNION IN SPACE EXPLORATION

AND WAS HAVING A VERY DIFFICULT TIME CATCHING UP.

♪

Narrator: THREE YEARS INTO THEIR NEW JOBS,

THE FORMER TEST PILOTS ARE GETTING A LITTLE...TESTY.

SO FAR IT’S BEEN ALL DRILLS

AND NO THRILLS.

WAITING AROUND IS NOT THEIR STRONG SUIT.

SOME WONDER IF JOINING THE SPACE PROGRAM

WAS A BAD CAREER MOVE.

Shepard: IT WAS REALLY TOUCH-AND-GO THERE.

BUT WE WERE STILL HIGHLY COMPETITIVE.

THERE WERE STILL SEVEN GUYS GOING

FOR WHATEVER FLIGHT WAS AVAILABLE.

Narrator: BUT WILL THERE EVEN BE A FLIGHT?

JOHN GLENN GETS FITTED FOR HIS CUSTOM CAPSULE SEAT,

WITH NO GUARANTEE HE’LL EVER GET LAUNCHED IN IT.

Glenn: REMEMBER THAT IN THE EARLY DAYS OF THE PROGRAM,

IT WAS ALL PRETTY MUCH UP IN THE AIR.

Narrator: ACTUALLY, NOTHING IS IN THE AIR...

YET.

BEFORE ANY OF THEM GO INTO SPACE,

THIS CHIMPANZEE WILL PAVE THE WAY.

HIS NAME IS HAM.

HE HAS A DIFFERENT TRAINING REGIMEN

THAN HUMAN ASTRONAUTS,

INCLUDING SHOCKS TO HIS FEET

IF HIS ATTENTION STRAYS FROM THE INSTRUMENT PANEL.

BUT HIS JOB IS PARAMOUNT--

PROVE THAT A PRIMATE CAN FUNCTION IN SPACE.

Weitekamp: SO THIS WAS HOW YOU WERE ABLE TO,

WHAT THEY WOULD HAVE CALLED AT THE TIME,

MAN-RATE THE VEHICLE.

Man: ALL THREE START PANEL LIGHTS ARE CORRECT.

MERCURY GO...

T MINUS 18 AND COUNTING.

Narrator: SINCE THE EMBARRASSMENT OF MERCURY 1,

THEY THINK THEY FIXED THE ROCKET.

Man: MINUS 10, 9, 8...

Narrator: BUT WILL THE CAPSULE KEEP HAM ALIVE?

♪

Man: ZERO PLUS ONE SECOND. LIFTOFF.

Man: LIFTOFF. Man: LIFTOFF...

Narrator: MERCURY 2 PUNCHES THROUGH THE FLORIDA SKY...

WITH THE HOPES OF THE PROGRAM RIDING ON A 3-YEAR-OLD CHIMP.

THE CAPSULE LOSES PRESSURE,

BUT HAM’S SPACESUIT KEEPS HIM ALIVE.

HE PULLS LEVERS AND PUSHES BUTTONS AS TRAINED.

THEY KNOW HE’S CONSCIOUS.

BUT DON’T KNOW IF HE’LL ENDURE RE-ENTRY.

Man: WE’RE RECEIVING DATA AGAIN.

Man: LET US KNOW WHEN YOU REGAIN THE SIGNAL.

Narrator: SHIPS FIND HAM’S CAPSULE

IN THE WIDE-OPEN ATLANTIC.

THEY WHISK IT ABOARD

AND OPEN THE HATCH TO SEE IF HAM SURVIVED.

Muir-Harmony: HE WAS A LITTLE DEHYDRATED,

HE WAS A LITTLE FATIGUED,

BUT THEY GAVE HIM AN APPLE, AND HE LIKED THAT.

Narrator: HE HAS NOTHING MORE THAN A BRUISED NOSE.

EVERYONE HOPES THE FIRST HUMAN IN SPACE

WILL BE SO LUCKY.

BUT WHO WILL IT BE?

ALL SEVEN TRAINEES HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR DIRECTOR BOB GILRUTH

TO ANNOUNCE AMERICA’S FIRST SPACE TRAVELER.

NASA FINALLY PICKS ALAN SHEPARD.

Shepard: WELL, THERE I AM,

LOOKING AT SIX FACES LOOKING AT ME

AND FEELING TOTALLY ELATED

THAT I HAD WON THE COMPETITION.

BUT YET ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AFTERWARDS

FEELING SORRY FOR MY BUDDIES.

I MEAN, THEY WERE TRYING JUST AS HARD AS I WAS.

Narrator: SHEPARD TRAINS WITH RENEWED VIGOR...

Man: ONE, START.

Narrator: EXPECTING TO BECOME THE FIRST HUMAN INTO SPACE.

Man: STAND BY FOR RE-ENTRY.

Narrator: BUT NASA DELAYS HIS FLIGHT A MONTH

TO WORK OUT SOME KINKS IN THE REDSTONE ROCKET.

DURING THAT DELAY, THE SOVIETS MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT.

Muir-Harmony: THERE WAS ANOTHER WAVE OF SHOCK,

ANOTHER BLOW TO U.S. PRESTIGE

THAT NOT ONLY DID THE SOVIET UNION

LAUNCH THE FIRST SATELLITE,

THEY ALSO LAUNCHED THE FIRST HUMAN INTO SPACE.

Narrator: ON APRIL 12, 1961,

THE SOVIET UNION LAUNCHES A MAN AROUND THE GLOBE...

AND INTO THE HISTORY BOOKS.

HIS NAME--YURI GAGARIN.

Weitekamp: HE DID AN ORBITAL FLIGHT,

WHICH IS AN ORDER OF MAGNITUDE MORE DIFFICULT

THAN A SUBORBITAL UP-AND-DOWN FLIGHT INTO SPACE.

Narrator: COMPARED TO THE MERCURY ASTRONAUTS,

GAGARIN IS BARELY A PILOT.

HE ONLY RECENTLY FINISHED FLIGHT SCHOOL.

BUT HE’S ONLY 5-FOOT-2,

FITS INTO THE TINY CAPSULE,

AND FITS THE MOLD FOR A SOVIET SUCCESS STORY.

Barry: HE’S THE SON OF PEASANTS THAT SURVIVED WORLD WAR II,

HE’S KIND OF THE PERFECT SOVIET MODEL FOR THAT.

AND HE’S A CHARMING, GOOD-LOOKING GUY.

GAGARIN WAS THE PERFECT PERSON.

Narrator: THE SOVIETS ARE STEALING THE GLOBAL SPOTLIGHT.

Chaikin: FOR KENNEDY,

THE SHOCK OF WAKING UP TO FIND

THAT THE SOVIETS HAD PUT THE FIRST MAN IN SPACE

WAS EMBARRASSMENT ENOUGH,

BUT THAT WAS COMPOUNDED VERY SOON AFTERWARDS

BY WHAT BECAME KNOWN AS THE BAY OF PIGS FIASCO.

Narrator: FOR MONTHS, KENNEDY WAS CONSIDERING A SECRET PLAN

TO OUST FIDEL CASTRO FROM CUBA--

A COMMUNIST COUNTRY RIGHT ON AMERICA’S DOORSTEP.

ON APRIL 17th,

U.S. NAVY SHIPS ENTER CUBA’S BAY OF PIGS

AND UNLOAD A SMALL FIGHTING FORCE OF CUBAN EXILES

TO TRIGGER AN OVERTHROW OF CASTRO’S GOVERNMENT.

[GUNFIRE]

BUT THE INVASION FORCE IS QUICKLY DEFEATED.

THE COUP IS A FLOP.

THE TIMING--

JUST FIVE DAYS AFTER YURI GAGARIN’S FLIGHT--

IS COINCIDENTAL.

BUT IT LOOKS LIKE KENNEDY IS ON A LOSING STREAK.

Chaikin: THIS WAS A TREMENDOUS EMBARRASSMENT

TO THIS YOUNG PRESIDENT

WHO HAD ONLY BEEN IN OFFICE FOR A FEW MONTHS.

Narrator: PRESIDENT KENNEDY NEEDS A WIN.

HE LOOKS TO NASA TO DELIVER ONE.

♪

JUST A FEW WEEKS LATER,

NASA HOPES ONE MAN CAN SALVAGE SOME NATIONAL PRIDE.

Shepard: THE WEATHER WAS GOOD,

AND I REMEMBER DRIVING DOWN TO THE LAUNCHING PAD IN A VAN.

Narrator: ALAN SHEPARD REMEMBERS EVERY MOMENT OF MERCURY 3.

Shephard: WE PULLED UP IN FRONT OF THE LAUNCH PAD.

OF COURSE IT WAS DARK.

THE LIQUID OXYGEN WAS VENTING OUT FROM THE REDSTONE.

SEARCHLIGHTS ALL OVER THE PLACE.

AND I REMEMBER SAYING TO MYSELF,

"WELL, I’M NOT GOING TO SEE THIS REDSTONE AGAIN."

AND, YOU KNOW, PILOTS LOVE TO GO OUT AND KICK THE TIRES.

AND IT WAS SORT OF LIKE

REACHING OUT AND KICKING THE TIRES ON THE REDSTONE,

BECAUSE I STOPPED AND LOOKED AT IT,

YOU KNOW, LOOKED BACK AT THIS BEAUTIFUL ROCKET,

AND THOUGHT, "WELL, OK, BUSTER, LET’S GO AND GET THE JOB DONE."

♪

Narrator: WHEN DAY BREAKS,

ASTRONAUTS WALLY SCHIRRA AND SCOTT CARPENTER

CIRCLE IN FIGHTER JETS TO WATCH THE LAUNCH.

Scott Carpenter: WE COULDN’T STAY CLOSE TO THE PAD,

BECAUSE THERE WERE A LOT OF UNKNOWNS AND DANGERS

IN THOSE DAYS.

Man: ZERO, DID YOU VERIFY YOU GOT A MOTOR LIGHT?

Narrator: THOSE DANGERS AREN’T LOST ON SHEPARD.

Man: ROGER, READY TO RESUME THE COUNT...

Narrator: AT THIS POINT,

NO ROCKET LAUNCH IS A SURE THING.

Man: OK, STONY, TAKE IT OVER.

[RADIO CHATTER]

Man: ROGER.

Narrator: THOUSANDS ARE AT THE CAPE.

[RADIO CHATTER]

Narrator: 45 MILLION ARE WATCHING ON TV.

AND TWO BUDDIES ARE HOVERING NEARBY.

Carpenter: WALLY AND I WERE CIRCLING THE PAD,

LISTENING TO THE COUNT.

Man: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6,

5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0...

[ROARING]

LIFTOFF.

Shepard: ROGER. LIFTOFF, AND THE CLOCK HAS STARTED.

[RADIO CHATTER]

Shepard: YES, SIR, READING YOU LOUD AND CLEAR.

Narrator: AT LIFTOFF,

SHEPARD’S HEART RATE JUMPS TO 126 BEATS PER MINUTE.

Shepard: CABIN AT 14 PSI,

OXYGEN IS GO.

Narrator: AND THE ROCKET SENDS HIM A HUNDRED MILES UP...

LEAVING SCHIRRA AND CARPENTER IN THE DUST.

Carpenter: AND AL TOOK OFF AND GOING STRAIGHT UP,

AND WALLY AND I NEVER SAW A THING!

Narrator: NO ONE WILL CATCH SHEPARD NOW.

[RADIO CHATTER]

Shepard: 7, YOUR FUEL IS GO, 4 G.

Man: THAT’S ALL SYSTEMS GO... OK.

Narrator: AFTER PULLING SIX Gs TO ESCAPE EARTH...

Shepard: CUTOFF! TOWER JETTISON GREEN!

Narrator: HE MARVELS AT WHAT HE LEFT BEHIND.

Shepard: WHAT A BEAUTIFUL VIEW.

CLOUD COVER OVER FLORIDA,

THREE TO FOUR TENTHS NEAR THE EASTERN COAST,

OBSCURES UP THROUGH HATTERAS.

Narrator: HE’S ONLY WEIGHTLESS FOR FIVE MINUTES,

BUT COMPLETES A TIGHTLY SCRIPTED SERIES OF TESTS.

Shepard: SWITCHING TO MANUAL YAW.

Narrator: HE’S ALL BUSINESS.

Shepard: OK, SWITCHING TO MANUAL PITCH.

Narrator: RE-ENTRY GOES WITHOUT A HITCH.

Shepard: MAIN CHUTE IS REEFED.

MAIN CHUTE IS GREEN.

MAIN CHUTE IS COMING UNREEFED AND LOOKS GOOD.

Narrator: AMERICA FINALLY MAKES A SPLASH IN THE SPACE RACE...

EVEN THOUGH IT DOESN’T MATCH GAGARIN’S FULL ORBIT.

Weitekamp: BEING ABLE TO ANSWER GAGARIN’S FLIGHT

WITH ALAN SHEPARD’S SUBORBITAL FLIGHT

WAS SEEN AS A U.S. ANSWER,

BUT A SOMEWHAT INSUFFICIENT ANSWER.

Narrator: SHEPARD GRABS HIS HELMET,

SAYS GOODBYE TO HIS SHIP,

AND FINDS HIMSELF AT THE WHITE HOUSE

JUST THREE DAYS LATER

TO RECEIVE A MEDAL.

President Kennedy: TO ALAN SHEPARD.

WE’RE VERY PROUD OF HIM.

Shepard: AND SO AS THE PRESIDENT MADE HIS SPEECH AND SAID,

"I NOW PRESENT YOU THE MEDAL,"

THE THING SLID OFF THE BOX AND WENT TO THE DECK.

WE ALMOST BANGED HEADS.

THEN HE SAID, IN HIS DAMN YANKEE ACCENT,

"HERE, SHEPARD,

I GIVE YOU THIS MEDAL THAT COMES FROM THE GROUND UP."

[LAUGHTER]

Narrator: IT’S ALL QUITE A SHOW.

BUT PRIVATELY,

KENNEDY’S NOT SUPPORTING MERCURY FOR THE SCIENCE.

IT’S FOR THE STATUS.

Muir-Harmony: JOHN F. KENNEDY

WAS VERY ATTUNED TO THE IMPORTANCE OF IMAGE,

TO PRESTIGE,

AND TO PUBLIC RELATIONS.

SO SPACE EXPLORATION WAS SORT OF USED AS A MEASURING STICK

TO UNDERSTAND NATIONAL STRENGTH.

Narrator: IF SPACE IS WHERE KENNEDY

CAN FINALLY SHOW UP THE SOVIETS,

HE’S ALL IN.

[APPLAUSE]

ON MAY 25th,

HE STRIDES TO THE CONGRESSIONAL PODIUM

WITH AN AUDACIOUS CHALLENGE TUCKED INSIDE HIS MANUSCRIPT.

Weitekamp: JOHN F. KENNEDY’S ANNOUNCEMENT

BEFORE A JOINT SESSION OF CONGRESS

COMES REALLY FAST.

YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT IT WAS ONLY SIX WEEKS EARLIER

THAT YURI GAGARIN BECOMES THE FIRST HUMAN BEING

TO FLY IN SPACE AT ALL.

Kennedy: 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.

Muir-Harmony: THE GENERAL TONE OF THE SPEECH

WAS SORT OF A CALL TO ACTION.

HE WAS TELLING HIS FELLOW AMERICANS

THAT THEY HAD TO TAKE ON GRAND CHALLENGES.

Narrator: THIS GRAND CHALLENGE

NOW FALLS ON AN AGENCY THAT’S NOT YET THREE YEARS OLD.

ALAN SHEPARD’S FIRST FLIGHT INTO SPACE

WAS ONLY THREE WEEKS AGO.

Weitekamp: NASA HAD A GRAND TOTAL

OF ABOUT 15 MINUTES OF ACTUAL HUMAN SPACE FLIGHT EXPERIENCE.

ONE FLIGHT.

AND HE’S SAYING WE’RE GONNA SEND MULTIPLE PEOPLE

A QUARTER OF A MILLION MILES TO THE MOON AND BACK.

♪

Narrator: THE SPACE RACE NOW HAS A FINISH LINE.

FOR NASA, THE GOAL IS CLEAR.

THE PATH IS NOT.

BUT PROJECT MERCURY KEEPS PLUGGING AWAY.

Man: 5, 4, 3...

Narrator: ON JULY 21st,

GUS GRISSOM PILOTS MERCURY 4.

Man: LIFTOFF.

Gus Grissom: ROGER, THIS IS LIBERTY BELL 7.

THE CLOCK IS OPERATING.

Narrator: THE BIGGEST PROBLEM COMES UPON SPLASHDOWN.

Grissom: GETTING READY FOR IMPACT HERE.

I CAN SEE THE WATER COMING RIGHT ON UP.

Narrator: HIS HATCH BLOWS OPEN WHILE WAITING FOR RESCUE.

Chaikin: THE CAPSULE FLOODED WITH WATER,

GRISSOM SCRAMBLED TO GET OUT.

HE NARROWLY ESCAPED DROWNING.

THE HELICOPTER WAS ABLE TO PULL HIM OUT OF THE OCEAN SAFELY,

BUT THE CAPSULE SANK

AND WENT TO THE BOTTOM OF THE ATLANTIC.

AND GRISSOM WAS KIND OF SHAKEN UP

BY THE TIME THEY GOT HIM BACK ON DRY LAND.

Narrator: SO FAR,

TWO AMERICANS HAVE GONE ON SHORT UP-AND-DOWN FLIGHTS.

THE THIRD IS SUPPOSED TO CIRCLE THE GLOBE.

AND NO ONE IS MORE READY THAN JOHN GLENN.

Man: 60 SECONDS AND COUNTING.

Narrator: THE FINAL COUNTDOWN FOR MERCURY 6

CRACKLES IN HIS HEADSET.

Carpenter: ALL PRE-START PANEL LIGHTS ARE CORRECT,

THE READY LIGHT IS ON,

EJECT MERCURY UMBILICAL.

Narrator: SCOTT CARPENTER IS THE CAPCOM--

THE ONE MAN IN MISSION CONTROL

IN DIRECT COMMUNICATION WITH GLENN.

Carpenter: IN THAT PERIOD

FROM T-MINUS 18 SECONDS TO LIFTOFF...

7-MINUS 18 SECONDS AND COUNTING, ENGINES START.

IT OCCURRED TO ME

THAT THIS FELLOW NAMED JOHN GLENN

WAS GOING TO HAVE TO PUT UNDER HIS BELT

MORE SPEED THAN WE HAD EVER GIVEN A HUMAN BEFORE.

AND IT JUST CAME TO ME.

GODSPEED, JOHN GLENN.

6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0...

Glenn: ROGER, THE CLOCK IS OPERATING.

WE’RE UNDERWAY.

Narrator: HE’S ON HIS WAY TO EXCEEDING 17,000 MILES PER HOUR,

PUSHING GLENN DEEP INTO HIS CUSTOM-FIT SEAT.

Glenn: IT’S A LITTLE BUMPY ALONG ABOUT HERE.

Narrator: 50,000 CRANE THEIR NECKS FROM THE CAPE.

100 MILLION MORE WATCH ON TV--

MORE THAN DOUBLE THE LAST LAUNCH.

THEY WITNESS NEAR PERFECTION.

Glenn: ROGER, LOUD AND CLEAR, FLIGHT PATH IS GOOD. 6-9.

Carpenter: ROGER, READING YOU LOUD AND CLEAR...

Narrator: GLENN’S TRAJECTORY

IS ONLY FIVE HUNDREDTHS OF A DEGREE OFF.

Carpenter: LOOKS GOOD. FLIGHT STEERING IS GOOD. ROGER.

Narrator: MISSION CONTROL THINKS HE’S GOOD FOR SEVEN ORBITS.

Glenn: I COULD NOT SEE THE TOWER GO.

I SAW THE SMOKE GO BY THE WINDOW.

Narrator: GROUND COMPUTERS ESTIMATE

HE COULD DO A HUNDRED.

Glenn: ROGER. STILL HAVE ABOUT 1.5 Gs.

PROGRAMMING OVER.

Narrator: SHEPARD AND GRISSOM HAD MINUTES.

GLENN WILL HAVE HOURS.

Glenn: I AM GO. CAPSULE IS IN GOOD SHAPE.

THE MAIN PURPOSE OF MY FLIGHT

WAS TO FIND OUT WHAT REACTION THE HUMAN BODY HAD

TO EXTENDED WEIGHTLESSNESS.

SOME OF THE DOCTORS, FOR INSTANCE,

THOUGHT THAT MY VISION MIGHT CHANGE DURING FLIGHT.

Narrator: SO DOCTORS TURN GLENN’S CAPSULE,

NOW AT THE SMITHSONIAN,

INTO A TINY EXAMINATION ROOM.

Mike Neufeld: SO THIS IS THE ACTUAL FRIENDSHIP 7 CAPSULE

THAT GLENN RODE IN AROUND THE EARTH

IN FEBRUARY OF 1962.

AND RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL

IS A TINY EYE CHART,

AND PERIODICALLY THROUGHOUT THE MISSION,

HE HAD TO LOOK AT THE CHART

AND REGISTER HOW CLEARLY HE COULD SEE IT,

BECAUSE THE DOCTORS HAD ALL KINDS OF SCARE STORIES.

WERE HIS EYES GONNA GO OUT OF FOCUS?

WHEN THEY’RE FLOATING AROUND IN ZERO GRAVITY,

HE WOULDN’T BE ABLE TO SEE PROPERLY ANYMORE.

SO HE HAD TO PERIODICALLY PERFORM THIS EYE CHART TEST.

Glenn: I HAVE EXCELLENT VISION ON THE CHARTS,

NO ASTIGMATISM OR ANY MALFUNCTIONS AT ALL.

Neufeld: AS HE’S GOING AROUND THE EARTH,

THE DOCTORS ASKED HIM TO SWALLOW A FEW TIMES.

HE HAD ACTUALLY APPLESAUCE AND WATER,

THINGS LIKE THAT TO EAT.

THEY WERE WORRIED ABOUT WHETHER YOU’D BECOME NAUSEOUS

IF YOU MOVED YOUR HEAD.

SO HE TURNED HIS HEAD FROM SIDE TO SIDE

TO SEE IF HE HAD ANY DISORIENTATION.

Glenn: THIS IS FRIENDSHIP 7.

THE HEAD MOVEMENTS CAUSE NO SENSATIONS WHATSOEVER.

Carpenter: THANK YOU.

Narrator: MISSION CONTROL

HAS A TIGHT SCRIPT FOR GLENN TO FOLLOW.

THEN, HE WRITES HIS OWN STORY, IN PICTURES.

Jennifer Levasseur: NASA DIDN’T REALLY FEEL

THAT IMAGES AND PHOTOGRAPHS OR VIDEO

WERE REALLY ALL THAT VALUABLE TO WHAT THEY WERE WORKING ON.

BUT GLENN DIDN’T REALLY SEE IT THAT WAY.

AND SO AFTER GETTING A HAIRCUT IN COCOA BEACH,

JOHN GLENN WALKS INTO A DRUGSTORE

TO FIND A CAMERA TO TAKE ON HIS MISSION.

AND HE PURCHASES THIS CAMERA AND TAKES IT BACK TO NASA.

THE FIRST THING THEY REALIZE

IS HE WOULD NEED TO OPERATE IT WITH JUST ONE HAND.

SO THEY NEEDED TO FLIP THE CAMERA UPSIDE DOWN

TO BE ABLE TO ADD THIS HANDLE.

AND THEY ALSO NEEDED TO ADD TRIGGERS

TO BE ABLE TO CAPTURE A PHOTO AND TO WIND THE FILM.

AND SO REALLY HE COULD JUST HOLD IT

WITH ONE SINGLE GLOVED HAND

AND OPERATE IT WITH TWO FINGERS.

[SHUTTER CLICKING]

GLENN KNEW THAT IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT

TO CARRY HIS EXPERIENCE BACK TO EARTH.

Glenn: I STILL HAVE A BRILLIANT BLUE BAND

CLEAR ACROSS THE HORIZON,

ALMOST COVERING MY WHOLE WINDOW.

Levasseur: AS ONE OF THE FIRST PEOPLE TO GO INTO SPACE,

HE WANTED TO SHARE THAT WITH EVERYONE AROUND THE WORLD.

Glenn: THE SKY ABOVE IS ABSOLUTELY BLACK,

COMPLETELY BLACK.

Levasseur: AND TAKING PICTURES

WITH A CAMERA THAT YOU COULD BUY IN A DRUGSTORE

WAS THE PERFECT WAY TO DO THAT.

[SHUTTER CLICKS]

Glenn: ROGER. SAY AGAIN YOUR INSTRUCTIONS, PLEASE. OVER.

Narrator: AT THIS POINT,

GLENN HAS BETTER PR INSTINCTS THAN NASA.

BUT THEY WON’T HELP HIM GET HOME.

Carpenter: RETRACT THE SCOPE MANUALLY AT THIS TIME.

Narrator: MISSION CONTROL REVEALS A PROBLEM--

POTENTIALLY CATASTROPHIC.

Carpenter: WHILE YOU’RE DOING THAT,

WE’RE NOT SURE WHETHER OR NOT YOUR LANDING BAG HAS DEPLOYED.

Glenn: ROGER. I UNDERSTAND.

Narrator: THE LANDING BAG IS TUCKED INSIDE

A CRITICAL PART OF THE SPACECRAFT--

THE HEAT SHIELD.

Neufeld: IF THE LANDING BAG HAD ACTUALLY GOTTEN LOOSE,

THAT MEANS THE HEAT SHIELD

MIGHT MOVE OUT OF POSITION DURING THE RE-ENTRY,

AND THEN THE SPACECRAFT WOULD BREAK UP,

IT WOULD BURN UP,

HE WOULD BE INCINERATED.

WAS THE LANDING BAG REALLY LOOSE?

OR IS THIS A FALSE INSTRUMENTATION SIGNAL?

THEY DIDN’T KNOW.

Glenn: ASTRONAUT STATUS IS GO,

READY FOR RE-ENTRY. OVER.

Carpenter: ROGER.

Narrator: AFTER THREE ORBITS,

GLENN MANEUVERS THE SPACECRAFT

TO THE REQUIRED 14-DEGREE RE-ENTRY ANGLE.

A FIERY HEAT GLOWS AROUND HIM.

Glenn: MY CONDITION IS GOOD,

BUT THAT WAS A REAL FIREBALL, BOY.

Carpenter: ROGER. READING YOU LOUD AND CLEAR.

Narrator: MILLIONS ON EARTH HANG ON EVERY TRANSMISSION.

Walter Cronkite: ASTRONAUT’S IN GOOD SHAPE,

TRACKING SYSTEMS AROUND THE WORLD...

Man: WE ARE STANDING BY.

Narrator: SHIPS LOOK FOR THE CAPSULE.

Man: ONE SECOND. Man: OK.

Narrator: FINALLY, THEY SEE IT BOBBING IN THE OPEN OCEAN.

♪

REPORTERS BREAK THE TENSION OF AN ANXIOUS NATION.

Reporter: U.S. ASTRONAUT JOHN GLENN IS ON THE DECK,

IS REPORTED TO BE A HALE AND HEARTY ASTRONAUT

AFTER HIS HISTORY-MAKING FLIGHT.

♪

Weitekamp: JOHN GLENN’S FLIGHT

HAD AN ELECTRIC REACTION IN THE UNITED STATES

BECAUSE IT WAS THE ONE IN WHICH THE UNITED STATES

FINALLY ACHIEVED PARITY WITH THE SOVIET UNION.

Barry: I WAS FIVE YEARS OLD, I GUESS,

WHEN JOHN GLENN FLEW,

AND JOHN GLENN’S FLIGHT

IS LITERALLY THE FIRST THING I REMEMBER IN MY LIFE.

MY MOM TELLS ME

THAT I WANTED TO BE A DUMP TRUCK DRIVER BEFORE THAT,

BUT AFTER JOHN GLENN’S FLIGHT, I WAS HOOKED.

Man: 10, 9, 8, 7...

Narrator: NASA BEGINS RATTLING OFF MERCURY MISSIONS

WITH CONFIDENCE AND PURPOSE.

Man: ZERO.

Carpenter: I FEEL THE LIFTOFF, THE CLOCK HAS STARTED.

Narrator: SCOTT CARPENTER’S MERCURY 7 FLIGHT IS SO FLAWLESS,

SOME DARE THINK SPACEFLIGHT IS BECOMING ROUTINE.

Man: HOW DO YOUR READ? AURORA 7, OVER.

Narrator: MERCURY 8 SENDS WALLY SCHIRRA UP FOR NINE HOURS

AND SIX ORBITS.

Man: HE FEELS YOU’RE IN GOOD SHAPE, WALLY,

AND SO I HAVE GOOD NEWS, THAT YOU CAN GO FOR SIX ORBITS.

Schirra: HALLELUJAH!

Narrator: MERCURY 9 REACHES THE PROGRAM’S ULTIMATE GOAL--

A FULL DAY IN SPACE,

ENJOYED BY GORDON COOPER.

Cooper: I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS TIME

TO SAY A LITTLE PRAYER.

Weitekamp: THE MERCURY MISSIONS WERE REALLY VERY SUCCESSFUL

IN BEING ABLE TO DEMONSTRATE

THAT HUMAN BEINGS COULD GO INTO SPACE,

THAT THEY COULD ORBIT REPEATEDLY,

AND THAT THEY COULD BE BROUGHT BACK SAFELY.

AND THERE WAS A WONDERFUL PATTERN OF THE ASTRONAUT

THEN BEING CELEBRATED AS HE CAME HOME

HAVING SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED THOSE MISSIONS.

Narrator: BY THE END OF THE MERCURY PROGRAM,

AMERICANS CAN CELEBRATE.

THEY HAVE HEROES.

THEY HAVE MOMENTUM.

THEN, THERE IS SHOCK.

Weitekamp: WHEN PRESIDENT KENNEDY

WAS ASSASSINATED IN NOVEMBER OF 1963,

THE NATION REALLY STOPPED.

Chaikin: HERE WAS THIS YOUNG PRESIDENT

WHO WAS SO OPTIMISTIC IN HIS TONE,

SO VISIONARY IN HIS OUTLOOK,

LEADING US INTO WHAT HE CALLED THE NEW FRONTIER,

AND SPACE WAS AT THE FOREFRONT OF THAT.

AND SUDDENLY HE WAS GONE.

Barry: PEOPLE WERE DEVASTATED.

I GREW UP IN THE BOSTON AREA,

SO THE KENNEDYS WERE ROYALTY WHERE I CAME FROM.

AND MY PARENTS, WHO I THOUGHT OF AS INCREDIBLY STRONG,

THEY WERE BOTH CRYING THAT NIGHT.

Narrator: OTHER HEROES ARE FALLING IN DIFFERENT WAYS.

TWO ASTRONAUTS HAVE THEIR WORST FEARS COME TRUE.

DOCTORS TELL THEM THEY CAN’T FLY.

Chaikin: THERE’S A SAYING,

THERE’S ONLY THREE WAYS TO GET OUT OF THIS BUSINESS--

YOU CAN RETIRE,

YOU CAN BE KILLED,

OR YOU CAN BE GROUNDED.

AND THE WORST OF THOSE BY FAR WAS GETTING GROUNDED.

Narrator: AMERICA’S FIRST MAN IN SPACE,

ALAN SHEPARD,

IS DIAGNOSED WITH MENIERE’S DISEASE.

Shepard: IT CAUSES A LACK OF BALANCE, DIZZINESS,

AND, IN SOME CASES, NAUSEA.

NASA GROUNDED ME RIGHT AWAY.

Narrator: SHEPARD JOINS DEKE SLAYTON,

ALREADY GROUNDED FOR A HEART PROBLEM.

TWO OF THE ORIGINAL SEVEN ASTRONAUTS

ARE NOW OFF THE FLIGHT ROSTER.

JUST A WEEK BEFORE HIS DEATH, KENNEDY VISITED NASA.

THE MISSIONS TO THE MOON, CALLED PROJECT APOLLO,

ARE ON THE DRAWING BOARD FOR HIS REVIEW.

BUT IT’S ONLY A SKETCH.

Barry: AS WE’RE GETTING TO THE END OF THE MERCURY PROGRAM,

THEY REALIZED THAT THE APOLLO PROGRAM

IS NOWHERE NEAR READY YET,

AND WE’RE GONNA NEED TO LEARN TO DO A WHOLE BUNCH OF THINGS

TO GET TO THE MOON.

Narrator: THEY’LL HAVE TO FLY EXPONENTIALLY FARTHER.

Chaikin: THERE WERE SO MANY UNKNOWNS

ABOUT LANDING ON THE MOON

THAT THEY COULDN’T BITE OFF THAT WHOLE CHUNK AT ONCE.

Narrator: THEY’LL HAVE TO FLY LONGER.

[RADIO CHATTER]

Weitekamp: HOW DO YOU HAVE ASTRONAUTS IN SPACE

FOR AS LONG AS IT WOULD TAKE TO GET TO THE MOON AND BACK?

Narrator: THEY’LL HAVE TO FLY SMARTER.

Weitekamp: HOW DO YOU GET TWO SPACECRAFT

TO MEET UP IN SPACE,

HOW DO YOU THEN DOCK?

Narrator: AND THEY’LL HAVE TO FLY SOLO.

Weitekamp: SPACE WALKS, EVA, EXTRAVEHICULAR ACTIVITY.

HOW DO YOU GET IN AND OUT OF THE SPACECRAFT SAFELY

AND THEN STILL BE ABLE TO RETURN TO EARTH?

Barry: AND THERE’S NO WAY TO ANSWER THAT

WITH THE MERCURY CAPSULE ’CAUSE IT’S NOT CAPABLE,

AND THE APOLLO CAPSULE IS SEVERAL YEARS DOWN THE ROAD.

WE NEED SOMETHING ELSE.

Narrator: THE ANSWER--

PROJECT GEMINI.

BORN OUT OF NECESSITY,

BUT RACKED WITH COMPLEXITY.

Man: WE HAVE A LIFTOFF AT 16 MINUTES AFTER THE HOUR.

Narrator: IT HAS TO WORK.

Man: GEMINI 5 IS GO FOR STAGING.

Narrator: THE FATE OF APOLLO’S MOON SHOT IS AT STAKE.