1 00:00:02,000 --> 00:00:07,000 Downloaded from YTS.MX 2 00:00:04,087 --> 00:00:06,507 ANNOUNCER: The Shirley Temple program usually seen at this time 3 00:00:06,632 --> 00:00:07,758 will not be presented 4 00:00:07,925 --> 00:00:10,469 in order that we may bring you the following special broadcast. 5 00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:13,000 Official YIFY movies site: YTS.MX 6 00:00:11,094 --> 00:00:12,804 We have interrupted this program 7 00:00:12,930 --> 00:00:15,307 for a special broadcast from Cape Canaveral. 8 00:00:16,016 --> 00:00:21,021 RENICK: May 5th, 1961, certainly a day to be entered in the history books. 9 00:00:21,647 --> 00:00:25,317 Although the astronaut launch is being seen close up 10 00:00:25,400 --> 00:00:27,486 and live on television screens, 11 00:00:28,028 --> 00:00:31,823 hundreds of persons traveled to Cocoa Beach to see with their own eyes 12 00:00:31,907 --> 00:00:36,453 at long distance, the streak of flame as the Redstone heads skyward. 13 00:00:44,044 --> 00:00:46,463 CRONKITE: I don't know any words for this except the trite ones. 14 00:00:46,755 --> 00:00:49,049 Tension is mounting here at Cape Canaveral. 15 00:00:50,175 --> 00:00:52,261 RENICK: The world watches with interest. 16 00:00:52,553 --> 00:00:56,807 The public has no trouble feeling concern for the man who lies on his back 17 00:00:57,099 --> 00:00:59,184 at the nose end of a Redstone missile. 18 00:00:59,476 --> 00:01:02,854 Somehow, this doesn't seem to be the place for a human being. 19 00:01:05,899 --> 00:01:09,152 GLENN: We're looking at this as eventually a big exploration. 20 00:01:09,403 --> 00:01:11,154 We hope to lay the foundation 21 00:01:11,488 --> 00:01:14,408 for much broader exploration in the future. 22 00:01:16,827 --> 00:01:19,329 MCGEE: I'm sure you've given some thought to the possibility that 23 00:01:19,413 --> 00:01:22,082 this flight may not turn out well and that you may not come back. 24 00:01:25,752 --> 00:01:28,547 TROUT: One man, backed up by a team of 10,000, 25 00:01:28,922 --> 00:01:32,259 backed up by the most elaborate devices that science can invent. 26 00:01:35,137 --> 00:01:39,933 But still, one man, alone, in a tiny shell on top of a rocket. 27 00:01:51,069 --> 00:01:54,698 When we asked NASA for some pictures of the original American astronauts, 28 00:01:54,823 --> 00:01:58,118 John Glenn and the six others chosen in 1959 for Project Mercury, 29 00:01:58,201 --> 00:01:59,202 look what we got. 30 00:02:00,454 --> 00:02:02,998 The Seven in their spacesuits as formal as a class picture 31 00:02:03,081 --> 00:02:04,416 or a management training group. 32 00:02:05,083 --> 00:02:08,211 But these, too, are the men who are going to fly off into space 33 00:02:08,295 --> 00:02:10,922 and catch us up with the Russians and win the Cold War 34 00:02:11,006 --> 00:02:14,134 against Sputnik with their hair down and their burnouses up 35 00:02:14,217 --> 00:02:16,720 after four days of survival training in the desert. 36 00:02:20,390 --> 00:02:21,433 What were the astronauts? 37 00:02:22,434 --> 00:02:26,688 Tall in-the-capsule superheroes or just a bunch of regular fighter jocks? 38 00:02:30,400 --> 00:02:34,279 Well, writer Tom Wolfe has spent a number of years now looking into their story 39 00:02:34,363 --> 00:02:37,240 and he has written it into a book called, The Right Stuff. 40 00:02:38,992 --> 00:02:41,953 It's not the kind of story that we heard at the time from the space managers 41 00:02:42,037 --> 00:02:44,665 and from the politicians, or even from the American press. 42 00:02:46,958 --> 00:02:48,585 Tom Wolfe, nice to have you with us this morning. 43 00:02:48,669 --> 00:02:51,171 -Tom, good to see you. -Uh, were we in need of heroes 44 00:02:51,254 --> 00:02:52,631 when these astronauts came along? 45 00:02:52,714 --> 00:02:56,677 Is that why we were so eager to build them up into kind of false gods? 46 00:02:56,968 --> 00:03:01,640 Right now, it's so hard to remember what a... how seriously the Cold War 47 00:03:01,723 --> 00:03:04,101 was taken back in the... in the late '50s. 48 00:03:16,530 --> 00:03:21,284 (COUNTDOWN IN RUSSIAN) 49 00:03:21,493 --> 00:03:23,286 (SPUTNIK LAUNCHES) 50 00:03:24,287 --> 00:03:27,457 You are the first Americans to see this launching of Sputnik 1 51 00:03:28,125 --> 00:03:31,378 from the desert of Kyzylkum, in the Soviet Union. 52 00:03:33,088 --> 00:03:34,214 ("NAME THAT TUNE" THEME MUSIC PLAYS) 53 00:03:34,297 --> 00:03:37,175 DEWITT: And now back tonight and trying for 20,000 dollars are Eddie Hodges, 54 00:03:37,259 --> 00:03:40,262 the ten-year-old schoolboy, and his partner, Major John Glenn, Jr., 55 00:03:40,345 --> 00:03:41,596 the Marine Corps jet pilot. 56 00:03:41,680 --> 00:03:44,099 Uh, what do you think of the Russian satellite, 57 00:03:44,182 --> 00:03:47,686 which is circling the earth at 18,000 miles per hour? 58 00:03:48,103 --> 00:03:51,356 It's the first time anybody has ever been able to get anything out that far 59 00:03:51,440 --> 00:03:53,984 in space and keep it there for any length of time. 60 00:03:54,151 --> 00:03:58,655 And this is probably the first step toward space travel or moon travel, 61 00:03:58,739 --> 00:04:01,533 something we'll probably run into maybe in Eddie's lifetime here at least. 62 00:04:01,616 --> 00:04:04,202 DEWITT: (CHUCKLES) Eddie, would you like to take a trip to the moon? 63 00:04:04,286 --> 00:04:06,037 No, sir, I like it fine right here. 64 00:04:06,121 --> 00:04:07,622 (AUDIENCE LAUGHS) 65 00:04:16,089 --> 00:04:18,592 REPORTER: Democrat Senator Jackson of Washington describes 66 00:04:18,675 --> 00:04:22,846 the Russian achievement as a devastating blow to the prestige of The United States. 67 00:04:23,138 --> 00:04:26,600 As the satellite travels around the world once every hour and a half, 68 00:04:26,767 --> 00:04:29,519 its radio transmitters, powered by chemical batteries, 69 00:04:29,644 --> 00:04:32,814 that are apparently sending back coded messages to the Russians. 70 00:04:33,607 --> 00:04:35,358 (RAPID FREQUENCIES) 71 00:04:36,318 --> 00:04:38,570 REPORTER: The White House sizes up the situation this way, 72 00:04:38,653 --> 00:04:40,447 The launching of Russia's and the world's first 73 00:04:40,655 --> 00:04:45,494 artificial moon is of great scientific interest but comes as no surprise. 74 00:04:46,077 --> 00:04:48,497 REPORTER: General, are you awed by the Russian accomplishment 75 00:04:48,580 --> 00:04:49,581 with this big Sputnik? 76 00:04:49,664 --> 00:04:52,125 MEDARIS: You're only awed by the things that you don't understand 77 00:04:52,209 --> 00:04:53,835 or don't believe someone can do. 78 00:04:54,252 --> 00:04:56,838 REPORTER: In other words, we know what they had to know to do this? 79 00:04:57,297 --> 00:04:59,508 -Certainly, we know it. -REPORTER: Why haven't we done it? 80 00:04:59,966 --> 00:05:01,343 Well, we got started late. 81 00:05:01,676 --> 00:05:04,054 We didn't get about the job as early as we might have. 82 00:05:04,387 --> 00:05:06,640 Now we have to work like blazes to catch up. 83 00:05:09,392 --> 00:05:11,937 It means they're getting ahead of us and we certainly need to... 84 00:05:12,020 --> 00:05:13,647 start working hard to catch up. 85 00:05:16,525 --> 00:05:19,444 I think it's about time America woke up and did something about it. 86 00:05:21,196 --> 00:05:25,158 There was a sense in this country that it was all important... 87 00:05:25,283 --> 00:05:27,285 to catch up with the Russians in space. 88 00:05:27,619 --> 00:05:30,372 John McCormick, who was then the Speaker of the House of Representatives, 89 00:05:30,455 --> 00:05:32,499 was getting up and saying we face national extinction 90 00:05:32,582 --> 00:05:34,292 if we do not catch up with the Russians. 91 00:05:44,177 --> 00:05:48,056 WALLACE: In desperation, the United States looked to the Vanguard. 92 00:05:51,226 --> 00:05:54,271 Nearly 200 newsmen from all over the world were flown down 93 00:05:54,354 --> 00:05:55,438 for the big turkey shoot. 94 00:05:57,190 --> 00:05:59,776 At the launching site, they were given a play-by-play account. 95 00:06:00,485 --> 00:06:04,239 They witnessed each tiny detail of the usually top-secret preparation. 96 00:06:05,115 --> 00:06:08,827 And inside the block house, the tension steadily mounted. 97 00:06:15,542 --> 00:06:19,212 (ROCKET BLAST) 98 00:06:19,671 --> 00:06:24,134 (EXPLOSION) 99 00:06:28,638 --> 00:06:32,976 WALLACE: America's prestige had never been lower than at this moment, 100 00:06:33,143 --> 00:06:38,565 11:45 a.m., December 6, 1957. 101 00:06:44,446 --> 00:06:50,493 There is a tremendous gap between promise and performance. 102 00:06:51,411 --> 00:06:54,456 I believe the American people want action... 103 00:06:55,332 --> 00:06:57,125 (EXPLOSION) 104 00:06:58,418 --> 00:07:01,630 JOHNSON: ...and are demanding that we get going with our program. 105 00:07:10,055 --> 00:07:12,855 Public opinion in the civilized world has grown accustomed to 106 00:07:12,930 --> 00:07:14,768 fast scientific progress. 107 00:07:14,893 --> 00:07:18,855 Already, the idea of Sputnik whirling through space has become accepted 108 00:07:18,939 --> 00:07:23,151 and people are saying, "What comes next? What comes after Sputnik? After Vanguard?" 109 00:07:23,568 --> 00:07:28,406 Well, the next step has been planned for a long time. It is a manned satellite. 110 00:07:40,335 --> 00:07:43,338 WOLFE: Catch up on all fronts. That was the imperative. 111 00:07:43,755 --> 00:07:47,968 So a so-called quick and dirty approach was seized upon. 112 00:07:48,885 --> 00:07:51,262 They would try to launch not a flying ship 113 00:07:51,596 --> 00:07:56,309 but a pod, a container, a capsule... with a man in it. 114 00:07:58,603 --> 00:08:00,105 The man would not be a pilot. 115 00:08:01,064 --> 00:08:02,732 He would be a human cannonball. 116 00:08:03,608 --> 00:08:07,278 He would not be able to alter the course of the capsule in the slightest. 117 00:08:08,321 --> 00:08:10,824 The job was assigned to NACA, 118 00:08:11,199 --> 00:08:13,827 the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, 119 00:08:14,995 --> 00:08:17,372 which was converted into NASA. 120 00:08:21,167 --> 00:08:23,795 We will be developing and launching into space, 121 00:08:24,379 --> 00:08:29,175 vehicles needed to obtain scientific data and to explore the solar system. 122 00:08:31,094 --> 00:08:33,763 N.A.S.A. will have about 300 million dollars 123 00:08:33,888 --> 00:08:36,558 for its program in fiscal 1959, 124 00:08:37,392 --> 00:08:40,145 and with this appropriation, we must press forward 125 00:08:40,311 --> 00:08:42,355 the current research programs in our laboratories. 126 00:08:43,398 --> 00:08:48,069 We must contract for work by others in such fields as electronics and guidance 127 00:08:48,486 --> 00:08:51,322 and other areas where we have neither the special competence, 128 00:08:52,198 --> 00:08:53,700 nor the facilities that are needed. 129 00:08:54,534 --> 00:08:56,745 We must accelerate our development programs. 130 00:08:58,747 --> 00:09:02,417 We must acquire the vehicles that will carry our data-gathering apparatus, 131 00:09:02,876 --> 00:09:05,712 and ultimately man, into space. 132 00:09:15,638 --> 00:09:18,224 The program to pick the first man to American to try to pilot 133 00:09:18,308 --> 00:09:20,518 a rocket into orbit in space has begun. 134 00:09:20,852 --> 00:09:23,521 U.S. space chief T. Keith Glennan announced tonight 135 00:09:23,605 --> 00:09:27,067 the American manned satellite program will be called Project Mercury, 136 00:09:27,817 --> 00:09:30,278 its pilots will be known as Mercury Aeronauts, 137 00:09:30,361 --> 00:09:32,072 and one of their number, all volunteers, 138 00:09:32,197 --> 00:09:33,573 will make the first spaceflight. 139 00:09:35,283 --> 00:09:38,036 Two months before the astronauts were chosen they were still considering 140 00:09:38,210 --> 00:09:41,505 using racing car drivers, mountain climbers, scuba divers, 141 00:09:41,956 --> 00:09:45,960 infantry men, anybody who had faced stress and dangerous situations 142 00:09:46,044 --> 00:09:48,588 successfully would be allowed to apply for astronaut 143 00:09:48,713 --> 00:09:50,340 because there wasn't any flying to be done. 144 00:09:52,759 --> 00:09:56,096 Finally, Eisenhower decided, "Well, hell, we've got 500 test pilots 145 00:09:56,221 --> 00:09:59,140 "in the military. We can call them to Washington tomorrow." 146 00:10:00,850 --> 00:10:03,353 So let's get them from this group of people we can totally control 147 00:10:03,478 --> 00:10:04,604 and get on with it. 148 00:10:05,814 --> 00:10:07,398 So they bring in these test pilots. 149 00:10:11,402 --> 00:10:14,572 KRAMER: From all of the active duty pilots in the Navy, Marines, and Air Force, 150 00:10:15,240 --> 00:10:19,369 the service records of 473 test pilots were selected for review. 151 00:10:20,578 --> 00:10:23,164 110 met the basic qualifications. 152 00:10:25,041 --> 00:10:29,963 The Right Stuff is both a code of behavior and a mystical belief. 153 00:10:31,047 --> 00:10:35,218 As test pilots, you have to be willing to go up and hang your mortal hide out 154 00:10:35,301 --> 00:10:39,013 over the edge and then have the experience and the moxie and the talent 155 00:10:39,097 --> 00:10:41,307 to pull it back in, and then go up the next day 156 00:10:41,391 --> 00:10:43,351 and the next day and the next day and the next day, even, 157 00:10:43,434 --> 00:10:45,145 uh, the series is infinite. 158 00:10:51,442 --> 00:10:55,947 (CRASH AND EXPLOSION) 159 00:11:00,785 --> 00:11:03,705 NASA OFFICIAL: Phase two of the selection program 160 00:11:04,038 --> 00:11:07,417 was a very thorough physical examination. 161 00:11:08,626 --> 00:11:11,754 And the men continued on to the third phase. 162 00:11:12,172 --> 00:11:17,135 This phase involved exposure to the acceleration, lowered pressure, 163 00:11:17,343 --> 00:11:21,598 noise, and other stresses expected in space flight. 164 00:11:26,227 --> 00:11:29,564 WRIGHT: At a Washington news conference, officials introduced seven carefully 165 00:11:29,689 --> 00:11:33,818 chosen military test pilots as America's first spacemen. 166 00:11:38,364 --> 00:11:40,200 REPORTER: How are the kids' appetites tonight? 167 00:11:40,700 --> 00:11:42,243 Probably pretty good. 168 00:11:43,203 --> 00:11:45,205 REPORTER: Better than usual or worse than usual? 169 00:11:45,413 --> 00:11:48,625 Well, probably a little bit, uh, they'll, uh, be too excited. 170 00:11:48,750 --> 00:11:51,169 Maybe they won't eat as much as they usually do. 171 00:11:52,045 --> 00:11:55,256 REPORTER: Well, this is supposed to have been a very tightly kept secret. 172 00:11:55,381 --> 00:11:57,759 How... how did you begin to suspect something? 173 00:11:58,343 --> 00:12:00,136 Well, listening to the news. 174 00:12:00,803 --> 00:12:04,098 MCCORMICK: Well, all seven of the men are officers and test pilots. 175 00:12:04,182 --> 00:12:07,894 Three Air Force, three Navy, and one Marine. All are volunteers. 176 00:12:08,269 --> 00:12:10,939 Doctor T. Keith Glennan, National Aeronautical 177 00:12:11,022 --> 00:12:15,151 and Space administrator introduced them this afternoon at a news conference. 178 00:12:15,735 --> 00:12:20,823 Which of these men will be first to orbit the Earth, I cannot tell you. 179 00:12:21,783 --> 00:12:24,494 He won't know himself until the day of the flight. 180 00:12:25,995 --> 00:12:28,581 It's my pleasure to introduce... to you, 181 00:12:28,873 --> 00:12:31,292 and I consider it a very real honor, gentlemen... 182 00:12:32,710 --> 00:12:35,880 from your right, Malcolm S. Carpenter, 183 00:12:37,382 --> 00:12:41,761 Leroy G. Cooper, John H. Glenn, 184 00:12:42,804 --> 00:12:44,180 Virgil I. Grissom, 185 00:12:45,807 --> 00:12:47,392 Walter M. Schirra, 186 00:12:49,352 --> 00:12:54,274 Alan B. Shepard, Donald K. Slayton. 187 00:12:56,067 --> 00:13:00,780 These, ladies, and gentlemen, are the nation's Mercury astronauts. 188 00:13:00,989 --> 00:13:05,994 (APPLAUSE) 189 00:13:06,452 --> 00:13:10,331 The question everybody wants to ask, "What do the wives and children 190 00:13:10,415 --> 00:13:13,334 "of these men think of their ambitions to go into space?" 191 00:13:13,793 --> 00:13:16,296 My wife's attitude toward this has been the same as it has been 192 00:13:16,379 --> 00:13:18,589 all along through all my flying, that, uh... 193 00:13:18,881 --> 00:13:21,676 if it's what I want to do and she's behind it 194 00:13:21,759 --> 00:13:23,261 and the kids are, too, a 100 percent. 195 00:13:25,054 --> 00:13:27,682 Well, my wife feels the same way or, of course, I couldn't be here. 196 00:13:28,641 --> 00:13:32,562 And she's, uh, with me all the way and the boys are too little to, uh, 197 00:13:33,021 --> 00:13:35,565 realize what's going on yet, but I'm sure they'd feel the same way. 198 00:13:36,274 --> 00:13:40,194 My wife has agreed that professional opinions are mine, career's mine, 199 00:13:40,695 --> 00:13:42,363 but we also have to have a family life 200 00:13:42,447 --> 00:13:44,449 that we like and this is part of the agreement. 201 00:13:45,116 --> 00:13:47,785 I have no problems at home. My family's in complete agreement. 202 00:13:48,578 --> 00:13:51,789 (ALL LAUGH) 203 00:13:54,000 --> 00:13:56,294 John Glenn was actually unique among the seven 204 00:13:56,377 --> 00:13:57,628 in terms of his personality. 205 00:13:57,962 --> 00:14:00,631 I'm John Glenn, I'm the lonesome Marine on this outfit 206 00:14:00,798 --> 00:14:04,927 and I'm, uh, 37. I, jokingly, uh, of course, said that, uh, 207 00:14:05,011 --> 00:14:07,221 I got on this project because it'd probably be the nearest 208 00:14:07,305 --> 00:14:09,891 to heaven I'd ever get, and I wanted to make the most of it. 209 00:14:10,058 --> 00:14:11,517 -(ALL LAUGH) -But, uh... 210 00:14:11,768 --> 00:14:16,105 my feelings are that this whole project with regard to... to space sort of stands 211 00:14:16,272 --> 00:14:18,941 with us now as... as if you wanna look at it one way, 212 00:14:19,025 --> 00:14:21,736 like the Wright brothers stood at Kitty Hawk about 50 years ago. 213 00:14:22,612 --> 00:14:24,864 WOLFE: At the very first press conference John Glenn proved 214 00:14:24,947 --> 00:14:27,116 to be the most articulate of the seven. 215 00:14:27,200 --> 00:14:29,660 My wife made a remark the other day, I've been out of this world 216 00:14:29,744 --> 00:14:31,704 for a long time I might as well go on out there. 217 00:14:31,788 --> 00:14:32,830 (ALL LAUGH) 218 00:14:33,915 --> 00:14:35,291 GLENNAN: Next question, please. 219 00:14:35,958 --> 00:14:39,170 WOLFE: He had a kind of countrified sophistication, if you will, 220 00:14:39,504 --> 00:14:43,716 and he had a great freckle-faced smile and was just great at handling 221 00:14:44,008 --> 00:14:45,593 what we now call the media. 222 00:14:46,302 --> 00:14:51,057 GLENNAN: The question is, "Would the, uh, gentlemen, uh, like to, uh... 223 00:14:51,891 --> 00:14:55,436 "say which, which test, uh, they liked least?" 224 00:14:57,188 --> 00:14:58,231 (ALL LAUGH) 225 00:14:58,356 --> 00:15:00,650 Johnny Glenn, uh, you... you answer 226 00:15:00,733 --> 00:15:03,236 and then we'll start this way and around that way. 227 00:15:03,945 --> 00:15:06,656 That's a real tough one because we had some pretty good tests, 228 00:15:06,739 --> 00:15:10,701 but I... I think, uh, it's rather difficult to pick one, because if the... 229 00:15:10,868 --> 00:15:13,287 if you figure how many openings there are on the human body 230 00:15:13,371 --> 00:15:15,415 and how far you can go in any one of them. 231 00:15:15,498 --> 00:15:18,459 (ALL LAUGH) 232 00:15:18,626 --> 00:15:22,296 -SCHIRRA: You gave it away. -(LAUGHTER CONTINUES) 233 00:15:22,713 --> 00:15:26,342 Now... Now ,you answer which one would be the toughest for you. 234 00:15:26,467 --> 00:15:29,345 (ALL LAUGH) 235 00:15:32,849 --> 00:15:35,518 WOLFE: So, after this one man, Glenn, who's so articulate starts 236 00:15:35,601 --> 00:15:38,479 saying all these things about God, country, family, all the rest, 237 00:15:38,604 --> 00:15:41,899 immediately there's the picture of seven astronauts 238 00:15:41,983 --> 00:15:46,112 as these sort of God-fearing, small town family men. 239 00:15:47,238 --> 00:15:48,656 And the rest of them were stuck with it. 240 00:15:48,739 --> 00:15:51,033 They either had a choice of raising their hands and saying, 241 00:15:51,117 --> 00:15:52,994 "Now wait a minute, I... I don't really go on with that, 242 00:15:53,077 --> 00:15:54,912 "I don't think you have to be all that faithful to your wife 243 00:15:54,996 --> 00:15:56,456 "and your children and the church," 244 00:15:56,539 --> 00:16:00,251 or else doing the wise thing and saying, "Me, too." 245 00:16:01,043 --> 00:16:03,212 I'm not real active in the church as, uh, 246 00:16:03,296 --> 00:16:06,716 Mr. Glenn is, but, uh, I consider myself a good Christian still. 247 00:16:07,633 --> 00:16:11,262 REPORTER: Mrs. Grissom, did you have any indication that 248 00:16:11,512 --> 00:16:15,266 -anything was going on before today? -I had a pretty good idea. 249 00:16:16,517 --> 00:16:19,479 REPORTER: Have you had time to decide how you feel about it? 250 00:16:20,980 --> 00:16:23,316 Well, I don't know yet. 251 00:16:34,160 --> 00:16:35,536 REPORTER: Have the kids in the neighborhood 252 00:16:35,620 --> 00:16:36,913 been asking you about this? 253 00:16:38,289 --> 00:16:41,709 No, not yet, but my teacher called a little while ago and... 254 00:16:42,668 --> 00:16:44,879 and she said congratulations. 255 00:16:45,922 --> 00:16:48,549 REPORTER: Do you think this is gonna make you a big man around town? 256 00:16:48,633 --> 00:16:50,301 SCOTT: Mm-hmm. (LAUGHS) 257 00:16:51,219 --> 00:16:54,597 REPORTER: How does the wife of a spaceman feel about the possibility 258 00:16:54,680 --> 00:16:55,765 of so great an adventure? 259 00:16:56,307 --> 00:16:59,727 Well, we're not oblivious to the dangers involved, 260 00:17:00,102 --> 00:17:04,774 but, uh, I would like to go along with him if I could and so would the boys. 261 00:17:10,446 --> 00:17:13,032 WRIGHT: After rigorous training, one of these men will ride 262 00:17:13,199 --> 00:17:17,620 a Project Mercury space capsule around the Earth in a 125-mile high orbit 263 00:17:18,120 --> 00:17:20,998 before retro rockets slow the capsule for a descent into the Atlantic. 264 00:17:24,293 --> 00:17:25,962 (FAN WHIRRING) 265 00:17:27,046 --> 00:17:30,258 Although the astronauts, all test pilots, feel that space flight 266 00:17:30,341 --> 00:17:33,219 is no more than the next step along a familiar path, 267 00:17:33,302 --> 00:17:35,721 most of us still think of it as being unreal. 268 00:17:35,805 --> 00:17:36,806 (CAMERA CLICKS) 269 00:17:36,931 --> 00:17:40,977 But, in fact, it is reality catching up with unreality. 270 00:17:42,019 --> 00:17:45,314 Cocoa Beach, Florida is home base for those who fly rockets 271 00:17:45,439 --> 00:17:47,024 from adjoining Cape Canaveral. 272 00:17:47,358 --> 00:17:50,570 Ten years ago, only 246 people lived here, 273 00:17:50,695 --> 00:17:53,965 but now the glittering neon signs bear testimony to the boom. 274 00:17:54,782 --> 00:17:57,910 Population has increased 1,312 percent. 275 00:17:59,078 --> 00:18:01,789 Everything here is space oriented. 276 00:18:04,500 --> 00:18:06,210 (MUSIC STARTS PLAYING) 277 00:18:09,547 --> 00:18:13,718 Here at Cape Canaveral The astronauts are all ready 278 00:18:15,720 --> 00:18:19,473 They will pave the way Into space for the USA 279 00:18:21,976 --> 00:18:25,730 They are guys with wives Whose lives are just ordinary 280 00:18:28,316 --> 00:18:31,819 But will pave the way As we say with JFK 281 00:18:34,614 --> 00:18:37,074 There's John Glenn, Grissom And Shepard, too 282 00:18:37,617 --> 00:18:40,620 Astronauts who really have come through 283 00:18:40,911 --> 00:18:46,250 Slayton, Schirra, and Cooper passed Carpenter's bongos are a blast off 284 00:18:46,500 --> 00:18:50,963 Let's all drink a toast to the men The most in missiles 285 00:18:53,215 --> 00:18:59,388 And cheers to the man who's going out In space, out in space 286 00:18:59,555 --> 00:19:03,476 Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four Three, two, one 287 00:19:03,701 --> 00:19:08,748 Going out in space 288 00:19:21,994 --> 00:19:24,622 WHITE: We've tried to develop what we call dynamic testing. 289 00:19:24,789 --> 00:19:25,873 MCGEE: What does that mean? 290 00:19:26,248 --> 00:19:28,584 WHITE: Well, in dynamic testing, what we do is that we try 291 00:19:28,709 --> 00:19:33,339 to give the man a challenge, which is applicable to the kind 292 00:19:33,422 --> 00:19:35,091 of stress loads that he would get in flight. 293 00:19:35,216 --> 00:19:37,093 MCGEE: Get him as close as you can to actually doing it? 294 00:19:37,176 --> 00:19:38,302 WHITE: That is correct. 295 00:19:39,762 --> 00:19:42,890 The whole idea of the training was not to enable the astronaut 296 00:19:42,973 --> 00:19:45,518 to control and handle the machine as other flight training. 297 00:19:46,894 --> 00:19:49,271 It was really to desensitize the astronaut 298 00:19:49,397 --> 00:19:51,732 to the terrors of what he was gonna undertake. 299 00:20:01,450 --> 00:20:04,912 And there was a principle in psychology that if you expose a man 300 00:20:05,079 --> 00:20:08,958 to a terrible type of event in gradual stages, 301 00:20:10,209 --> 00:20:11,752 he can overcome the terror. 302 00:20:12,920 --> 00:20:15,756 We've had to think in terms of certain stress loads. 303 00:20:15,840 --> 00:20:18,509 We know that the man, for example, is going to be exposed 304 00:20:18,592 --> 00:20:22,513 to certain accelerations, certain heat loads, certain vibrations, 305 00:20:22,596 --> 00:20:27,727 noise, certain psychic trauma, that, uh, are just a part of doing these kind 306 00:20:27,810 --> 00:20:28,853 of new adventures. 307 00:20:29,937 --> 00:20:32,773 CAPCOM: ASGAR, this is Recovery 5. 308 00:20:32,982 --> 00:20:35,693 MCGEE: What you're hearing is a simulation of the communications 309 00:20:35,776 --> 00:20:38,154 between the space capsule and ground control. 310 00:20:38,279 --> 00:20:39,947 ASTRONAUT: Standing by for impact and pickup. 311 00:20:40,030 --> 00:20:41,657 Does Recovery have me? Over. 312 00:20:42,658 --> 00:20:45,411 MCGEE: A less frightening exercise, depending on how you look at it, 313 00:20:45,536 --> 00:20:47,621 is the underwater escape training. 314 00:20:54,754 --> 00:20:58,507 In their training, actually undergoing these tests, which one do you feel 315 00:20:58,591 --> 00:21:00,634 puts them under the greatest strain? 316 00:21:01,218 --> 00:21:07,141 WHITE: I think the centrifuge program is probably the best single stress load. 317 00:21:07,266 --> 00:21:11,729 This has come closest to being able to superimpose all the flight stresses 318 00:21:11,812 --> 00:21:14,106 in one spot, simultaneously. 319 00:21:16,108 --> 00:21:18,527 (RAPID WHIRRING) 320 00:21:19,528 --> 00:21:22,072 GRISSOM: The centrifuge is like a merry-go-round with one seat, 321 00:21:22,531 --> 00:21:25,284 one seat out on a long arm that swings you around and around, 322 00:21:25,367 --> 00:21:27,828 faster and faster until they get the G-level that they want. 323 00:21:29,663 --> 00:21:33,709 And we've gone as high as 18 Gs, which means 18 times the pull of gravity. 324 00:21:37,379 --> 00:21:39,673 (RAPID WHIRRING INCREASES) 325 00:21:49,767 --> 00:21:55,064 (CHEERFUL MUSIC PLAYING) 326 00:21:56,065 --> 00:21:58,859 (CAMERA CLICKS) 327 00:21:59,735 --> 00:22:01,570 -Scene one, take one. -(BOARD CLICKS) 328 00:22:04,907 --> 00:22:08,410 I am John Glenn, one of our astronauts who is preparing 329 00:22:08,494 --> 00:22:11,080 for our first manned ballistic flights into space. 330 00:22:12,373 --> 00:22:15,960 Naturally, all of us take a very deep personal interest, needless to say, 331 00:22:16,043 --> 00:22:20,130 in the Mercury capsule here that one of us will ride one of these days into space. 332 00:22:31,642 --> 00:22:34,895 WOLFE: LIFE Magazine decided to buy the rights 333 00:22:35,020 --> 00:22:37,231 to the personal stories of the astronauts. 334 00:22:39,525 --> 00:22:41,610 And they paid what at the time was a colossal sum, 335 00:22:41,694 --> 00:22:44,071 five hundred thousand dollars for three years to the seven men. 336 00:22:44,196 --> 00:22:48,200 It came out to about 25 thousand dollars per family per year for three years, 337 00:22:48,325 --> 00:22:50,244 and for families that were, had been used to making 338 00:22:50,327 --> 00:22:52,162 eight or nine thousand it was a lot of money. 339 00:22:53,998 --> 00:22:56,500 We knew there would be a lot of press attention, 340 00:22:57,293 --> 00:23:02,298 but none of us realized that, uh, we were going to lose anonymity. 341 00:23:02,756 --> 00:23:07,177 Time Life painted us as boy scouts and we were all American heroes, 342 00:23:07,887 --> 00:23:09,430 and that was fine. 343 00:23:12,474 --> 00:23:14,101 NARRATOR: Here's Astronaut John Glenn. 344 00:23:14,476 --> 00:23:17,938 Hello, fellas, I'd like to talk to you for a moment about adventure. 345 00:23:18,606 --> 00:23:20,149 Did you ever climb a mountain? 346 00:23:20,649 --> 00:23:21,859 Or land a trout? 347 00:23:22,526 --> 00:23:24,904 That's the kind of adventure you have in the Boy Scouts. 348 00:23:25,154 --> 00:23:28,532 If you're looking for adventure, boys 349 00:23:28,616 --> 00:23:31,952 Come join the Scouts today 350 00:23:33,621 --> 00:23:36,415 MCGEE: Alan Shepard has a lively sense of the ludicrous, 351 00:23:36,540 --> 00:23:38,417 which he keeps fairly well under control. 352 00:23:38,876 --> 00:23:41,128 But he would prefer to skirt serious subjects. 353 00:23:41,462 --> 00:23:44,173 And in a group, is likely to make the witty remark that 354 00:23:44,256 --> 00:23:47,384 turns conversation into a lighter vein. 355 00:23:47,718 --> 00:23:51,180 And if the technicians connected with the training of the astronauts 356 00:23:51,305 --> 00:23:55,309 can be said to have a favorite, well, their favorite appears to be Shepard. 357 00:23:58,812 --> 00:23:59,813 Okay. 358 00:23:59,897 --> 00:24:03,484 MCGEE: Each astronaut has several meticulously fitted flight uniforms, 359 00:24:03,651 --> 00:24:06,987 which they prefer to have called "pressure," not spacesuits. 360 00:24:08,113 --> 00:24:11,325 Shepard says it contributes more to the astronauts' peace of mind 361 00:24:11,408 --> 00:24:14,370 to say they've been inflated instead of blown up. 362 00:24:19,333 --> 00:24:22,169 Now when you fellas get together among yourselves, what do you talk about? 363 00:24:22,336 --> 00:24:25,464 Well, we have... have very little time off actually. 364 00:24:25,881 --> 00:24:29,677 Our attentions are focused pretty much on the objectives of spaceflight. 365 00:24:30,302 --> 00:24:35,265 We do take a few moments for such things as waterskiing 366 00:24:35,349 --> 00:24:37,434 -and... and playing golf. -MCGEE: You like waterskiing? 367 00:24:37,518 --> 00:24:39,979 -Yes, I do. -MCGEE: What about that, uh, Corvette, 368 00:24:40,062 --> 00:24:42,189 that white Corvette I've seen you drive, you like that? 369 00:24:42,314 --> 00:24:43,816 Well, I do enjoy driving that, yeah. 370 00:24:43,899 --> 00:24:45,526 MCGEE: What... what do you like most about it? 371 00:24:46,360 --> 00:24:48,946 SHEPARD: Well, it has a few little goodies underneath the hood that 372 00:24:49,071 --> 00:24:51,532 -make it go faster than the ordinary car. -MCGEE: Yeah. 373 00:24:54,326 --> 00:24:56,578 WOLFE: When I started looking into the stories of the astronauts, 374 00:24:56,662 --> 00:24:59,373 they came from out of the world of what they themselves 375 00:24:59,456 --> 00:25:00,916 -called the fighter jocks. -BROKAW: Yeah. 376 00:25:01,000 --> 00:25:03,711 WOLFE: And the fighter jocks are at the top 377 00:25:03,919 --> 00:25:06,380 -of the pyramid of flying in the military. -BROKAW: Yeah. 378 00:25:06,463 --> 00:25:09,341 WOLFE: And these are people who not only fly hard, they play hard, 379 00:25:09,550 --> 00:25:12,094 and also, they're justifiably away from home a lot. 380 00:25:12,177 --> 00:25:13,887 -BROKAW: Mm-hmm. -They're attractive to women, 381 00:25:13,971 --> 00:25:15,848 and this began to play a part in their lives 382 00:25:15,931 --> 00:25:17,349 like the lives of every other fighter jocks. 383 00:25:17,433 --> 00:25:20,060 Well, at one point the astronauts, I mean, there were so many women around them 384 00:25:20,144 --> 00:25:22,980 at all times that John Glenn felt compelled to say something 385 00:25:23,063 --> 00:25:25,274 to 'em about it. I mean, this thing has gotten to be too public, 386 00:25:25,357 --> 00:25:27,192 is what he said at a meeting in San Diego. 387 00:25:39,580 --> 00:25:42,916 WOLFE: There was bound to arise conflict between someone like, uh, 388 00:25:43,042 --> 00:25:45,377 Glenn on the one hand, and say Alan Shepard on the other. 389 00:25:47,171 --> 00:25:48,881 So finally, there was a little showdown. 390 00:25:49,256 --> 00:25:52,885 It was out at the Kona Kai Hotel on Shelter Island in San Diego. 391 00:25:55,929 --> 00:25:58,724 Now Glenn, I must say, does not mind being a maverick. 392 00:25:59,391 --> 00:26:02,352 He thought that this playing around with the cookies was getting out of hand. 393 00:26:03,520 --> 00:26:06,231 Cookies, as groupies were called in those days, 394 00:26:07,191 --> 00:26:10,944 Glenn thought the time had come to deliver a little lecture on the subject, 395 00:26:11,070 --> 00:26:15,157 so he started saying how he wasn't gonna stand by and let other members 396 00:26:15,240 --> 00:26:18,368 of the group ruin the chance of a lifetime by creating some scandal 397 00:26:18,452 --> 00:26:20,037 through playing around with these girls. 398 00:26:21,622 --> 00:26:25,125 The others could not believe that one pilot, a peer among peers, 399 00:26:25,209 --> 00:26:27,461 was standing up and giving this moral lecture. 400 00:26:27,586 --> 00:26:30,672 So, Alan Shepard, who was a very different man from John Glenn, 401 00:26:30,756 --> 00:26:33,842 stood up and in his stern and sort of icy commander, 402 00:26:34,093 --> 00:26:37,387 Naval Academy fashion, says, "Listen, you're not gonna stand up 403 00:26:37,471 --> 00:26:40,057 "and tell me or anybody else your view of morality." 404 00:26:43,769 --> 00:26:49,900 That scene was one of the things that set off a real conflict between two camps. 405 00:26:50,442 --> 00:26:53,612 One camp was really John Glenn and Scott Carpenter on one side, 406 00:26:53,695 --> 00:26:55,906 and the others basically agreed with Shepard. 407 00:26:56,782 --> 00:27:00,452 He was saying, it is not for you, as one of our peers, 408 00:27:00,619 --> 00:27:02,329 to tell us how we're going to act. 409 00:27:03,247 --> 00:27:05,165 And this became the rival position. 410 00:27:21,890 --> 00:27:25,644 REPORTER: From President to taxi driver, every American is worried 411 00:27:25,853 --> 00:27:29,398 about Russia's lead in this race to put man into space. 412 00:27:30,816 --> 00:27:34,111 We should do everything possible to make any sacrifice 413 00:27:34,319 --> 00:27:36,280 to help our country get up there, too. 414 00:27:45,080 --> 00:27:47,583 REPORTER: The MR-2 craft will carry a chimpanzee, 415 00:27:48,125 --> 00:27:51,962 specially trained for the mission at Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico. 416 00:27:52,546 --> 00:27:55,132 The chimpanzees were kidnapped in West Africa 417 00:27:55,257 --> 00:27:58,260 and they were trained to ride in the Mercury capsule. 418 00:27:58,760 --> 00:28:01,013 And the training was really quite complex 419 00:28:01,221 --> 00:28:03,182 and started as soon as astronaut training began. 420 00:28:03,891 --> 00:28:06,602 They even did some reading of a console, the instrument panel. 421 00:28:07,019 --> 00:28:10,355 They were given symbols, such as two circles and one triangle 422 00:28:10,439 --> 00:28:11,982 and they had to hit the triangle, 423 00:28:12,399 --> 00:28:15,402 the odd symbol, in order not to get a shock. 424 00:28:17,154 --> 00:28:20,991 NARRATOR: The next decision, which chimpanzee to send on the flight. 425 00:28:22,075 --> 00:28:24,870 Each of the candidates gets a complete medical checkup. 426 00:28:25,537 --> 00:28:31,168 And the honor goes to an astrochimp who was nicknamed, "Ham." 427 00:28:37,716 --> 00:28:39,801 This is Mercury-Redstone 2, 428 00:28:41,595 --> 00:28:46,767 MR-2, and Ham is on his way. 429 00:28:53,482 --> 00:28:58,070 Concern mounts, Ham's heartbeat and respiration climb fast. 430 00:28:59,112 --> 00:29:01,657 The flight surgeon's eyes are glued to his console, 431 00:29:02,449 --> 00:29:03,951 monitoring Ham's condition. 432 00:29:07,246 --> 00:29:09,373 (BEEPING) 433 00:29:09,539 --> 00:29:11,291 REPORTER: The Flight Surgeon watches the monitors, 434 00:29:11,625 --> 00:29:13,460 and now Ham is doing better. 435 00:29:14,920 --> 00:29:18,465 MR-2 is up over the top and reentry begins. 436 00:29:24,221 --> 00:29:26,473 The spacecraft is spotted from the air. 437 00:29:41,655 --> 00:29:42,739 Ham is fine. 438 00:29:46,118 --> 00:29:52,165 MR-2 was a significant milestone on the highway to man's flight into space. 439 00:29:53,166 --> 00:29:57,796 And the evidence is a live, space experienced, chimpanzee. 440 00:30:14,479 --> 00:30:17,357 The Soviets never would identify the leader of their space program. 441 00:30:17,441 --> 00:30:18,942 They always called him, "The Chief Designer." 442 00:30:19,026 --> 00:30:21,945 And Khrushchev would always say that they couldn't possibly identify him 443 00:30:22,029 --> 00:30:25,574 because the enemy agents would seek him out and kill him. 444 00:30:26,033 --> 00:30:29,036 And the real reason was the man, his name was Sergei Korolev, 445 00:30:29,661 --> 00:30:32,039 he had been a political prisoner for ten years. 446 00:30:32,122 --> 00:30:33,790 He was an ex-con in the Soviet Union. 447 00:30:34,124 --> 00:30:37,294 They couldn't admit an ex-con was running their space program. 448 00:30:37,669 --> 00:30:40,297 It was presumed that the Soviets... 449 00:30:41,048 --> 00:30:43,008 had somehow come up with a whole generation 450 00:30:43,300 --> 00:30:47,304 of super scientists who could churn out these incredible space vehicles. 451 00:30:47,387 --> 00:30:50,682 In fact, there was this one man, this one genius named Korolev 452 00:30:50,766 --> 00:30:52,225 who had always been considered a nut. 453 00:31:12,954 --> 00:31:16,833 COLLINGWOOD: Twenty-five thousand miles, 17,000 miles an hour, 454 00:31:17,376 --> 00:31:19,795 nobody else has ever done anything like it. 455 00:31:20,379 --> 00:31:21,588 This vehicle, 456 00:31:21,755 --> 00:31:25,300 a machine that until today was only a term in the vocabulary of fiction, 457 00:31:25,717 --> 00:31:26,802 it was a spaceship. 458 00:31:28,178 --> 00:31:31,807 The spaceship was built in Russia, the takeoff and the landing 459 00:31:32,015 --> 00:31:33,183 somewhere in Russia. 460 00:31:33,892 --> 00:31:38,855 The name of the man... Yuri Alekseyevich Gagarin. 461 00:31:39,773 --> 00:31:42,275 (PATRIOTIC MUSIC PLAYS) 462 00:31:42,401 --> 00:31:44,986 The first hero of the space age receiving 463 00:31:45,070 --> 00:31:46,780 a hero's welcome today. 464 00:31:47,531 --> 00:31:52,536 Yuri Gagarin, the first man ever to circle the Earth in orbit, reports to his chief, 465 00:31:53,036 --> 00:31:57,124 Nikita S. Khrushchev, Prime Minister of the Soviet Union. 466 00:31:57,499 --> 00:32:01,837 And in a day of wild jubilation, he was embraced by the Soviet people 467 00:32:02,087 --> 00:32:07,592 as a new pioneer, a Columbus, a Linden, Lenin in a spacesuit. 468 00:32:15,350 --> 00:32:18,854 RENICK: Here at Cape Canaveral, the announcement of the Russian success 469 00:32:18,979 --> 00:32:23,650 has made no visible impact on this space-oriented community. 470 00:32:24,484 --> 00:32:28,155 The people who live here, the ones who watch missile firings 471 00:32:28,238 --> 00:32:33,535 as a pastime, still have a local pride in NASA's Project Mercury. 472 00:32:34,494 --> 00:32:37,414 They are anxiously awaiting the American firing 473 00:32:37,581 --> 00:32:39,833 of an astronaut into space. 474 00:32:41,042 --> 00:32:44,921 A shot that is anticipated in the next two or three weeks. 475 00:32:48,300 --> 00:32:51,553 MCGEE: At Cape Canaveral, the countdown, which could take days, 476 00:32:51,678 --> 00:32:53,346 began early this morning. 477 00:32:53,889 --> 00:32:56,933 And there are rumors that Shepard has been selected for the flight 478 00:32:57,017 --> 00:32:59,686 with Glenn as standby and vice versa. 479 00:32:59,769 --> 00:33:03,648 The Project Mercury officials have made no announcement on either the timing 480 00:33:03,732 --> 00:33:05,984 of the launch or the astronaut chosen. 481 00:33:06,860 --> 00:33:08,778 But the launching fever is gripping the cape 482 00:33:08,862 --> 00:33:10,864 and will soon spread across the country. 483 00:33:11,740 --> 00:33:15,368 The anticipation will however be dulled by the sobering fact that 484 00:33:15,452 --> 00:33:18,246 even if this experiment is a spectacular success, 485 00:33:18,872 --> 00:33:22,250 it will still leave the United States second to Russia. 486 00:33:22,918 --> 00:33:27,339 And if it's a catastrophic failure, there will be deep gloom compounded 487 00:33:27,422 --> 00:33:30,300 by the tragic loss perhaps of human life. 488 00:33:33,553 --> 00:33:36,848 -(ENGINE REVVING) -(BEEPING) 489 00:33:39,559 --> 00:33:42,729 ANCHOR: We have interrupted this program for a special broadcast 490 00:33:42,812 --> 00:33:43,980 from Cape Canaveral. 491 00:33:44,606 --> 00:33:45,982 We switch now to the Cape. 492 00:33:46,608 --> 00:33:48,985 MCGEE: The actual rocket that will be fired in this launching 493 00:33:49,069 --> 00:33:51,530 and the capsule that will ride atop it have been selected 494 00:33:51,613 --> 00:33:53,615 and made ready at Cape Canaveral. 495 00:33:54,157 --> 00:33:57,035 The name of the astronaut chosen is not to be made known 496 00:33:57,118 --> 00:33:59,204 until moments before the launch. 497 00:34:07,879 --> 00:34:10,340 REPORTER: The pilot selected for the first manned flight attempt 498 00:34:10,590 --> 00:34:12,759 was Alan B. Shepard, Jr. 499 00:34:15,554 --> 00:34:19,140 RENICK: Hundreds of persons traveled to Cocoa Beach to see with their own eyes 500 00:34:19,391 --> 00:34:23,728 at long distance, the streak of flame as the Redstone heads skyward. 501 00:34:24,688 --> 00:34:29,109 People stayed at beach vantage points through the night sleeping in automobiles, 502 00:34:29,317 --> 00:34:30,777 tucked into sleeping bags. 503 00:34:31,111 --> 00:34:35,240 In the distance, about two miles away, huge searchlights were trained 504 00:34:35,323 --> 00:34:37,242 on the Redstone gantry tower. 505 00:34:38,577 --> 00:34:43,081 Shepard left the Mercury astronaut hangar in the specially equipped 506 00:34:43,456 --> 00:34:49,045 transportation van, and then he journeyed to the launching pad area, got out, 507 00:34:49,129 --> 00:34:52,799 took a look at the missile, and proceeded up the elevator 508 00:34:52,966 --> 00:34:57,262 to assume his position inside the space, uh, capsule. 509 00:34:59,264 --> 00:35:01,766 ABERNATHY: He will not go into orbit, as Yuri Gagarin did, 510 00:35:02,183 --> 00:35:06,396 but he will ride his capsule or spacecraft 116 miles up. 511 00:35:06,896 --> 00:35:09,441 And there he'll hang weightless for about five minutes 512 00:35:09,524 --> 00:35:13,194 until gravity pulls him back through the atmosphere to the sea 513 00:35:13,292 --> 00:35:15,196 nearly three hundred miles down range. 514 00:35:18,325 --> 00:35:21,745 The whole flight will take just 16 minutes but even though brief, 515 00:35:21,870 --> 00:35:26,041 it will help tell us whether man can be useful in nearby space. 516 00:35:30,337 --> 00:35:34,591 The tall gantry tower moved back on its tracks nearly three hours ago, 517 00:35:34,758 --> 00:35:39,262 leaving the white Redstone standing alone like a monument of the space age. 518 00:35:41,181 --> 00:35:44,225 Alan Shepard, encased in his cumbersome pressure suit, 519 00:35:44,309 --> 00:35:47,604 has remained in the capsule on his back on his contour couch, 520 00:35:47,979 --> 00:35:50,565 busy with his laboratory of complex instruments, 521 00:35:50,774 --> 00:35:53,902 going through the motions he's often gone through in practice sessions, 522 00:35:54,110 --> 00:35:55,779 talking to the control center. 523 00:35:56,112 --> 00:35:58,823 ENGINEER: Firing command, 30, mark. 524 00:35:59,157 --> 00:36:01,493 SHEPARD: Roger, Periscope has retracted. 525 00:36:01,868 --> 00:36:03,703 ENGINEER: That is the best periscope we've got. 526 00:36:04,287 --> 00:36:06,122 SHEPARD: Main bus 24 volts. 527 00:36:06,289 --> 00:36:08,375 TROUT: He has been busy but he would not be human 528 00:36:08,458 --> 00:36:09,751 if he did not feel the strain. 529 00:36:09,876 --> 00:36:11,294 ENGINEER: Program. Roger. 530 00:36:11,878 --> 00:36:15,215 C.O. Control fuel. Roger, fire one. Awesome panel. 531 00:36:15,340 --> 00:36:18,343 SHEPARD: Automatic fuel is 95. Regular is 96. 532 00:36:18,426 --> 00:36:19,928 Cameras and tape recorders are running. 533 00:36:20,095 --> 00:36:22,806 VON FREMD: Sixty-two newsmen from 12 foreign countries are present. 534 00:36:23,056 --> 00:36:26,476 Some pace about, some sit ramrod straight staring at the launching pad 535 00:36:26,559 --> 00:36:27,602 where the Redstone sits. 536 00:36:27,686 --> 00:36:30,980 A squawk box just announced T-minus six minutes and counting. 537 00:36:33,483 --> 00:36:36,236 WOLFE: I sensed that in Alan Shepard's... flight, 538 00:36:37,362 --> 00:36:40,198 that as it got down close to zero, 539 00:36:40,323 --> 00:36:45,245 that the engineers were so worked up for fear, each one for fear that 540 00:36:45,328 --> 00:36:47,372 it would be his system that would cause a catastrophe. 541 00:36:49,207 --> 00:36:51,292 Finally, Shepard heard one of them... 542 00:36:51,793 --> 00:36:53,712 talking about an overheating piece of equipment. 543 00:36:53,878 --> 00:36:56,297 ENGINEER: Somebody along, somebody, a mechanic on the second? 544 00:36:56,506 --> 00:36:59,050 WOLFE: The one engineer was saying to the other, "You know, I think we better 545 00:36:59,134 --> 00:37:02,345 "take that thing out and look at it before we proceed." 546 00:37:02,429 --> 00:37:06,808 And Shepard knew that taking that thing out was not a 15-minute job, 547 00:37:06,891 --> 00:37:07,976 it was a two-day job. 548 00:37:08,518 --> 00:37:11,646 ENGINEER: Down at 170. No, they should standby. 549 00:37:12,230 --> 00:37:14,649 WOLFE: And at this point, he got on the radio, and he says, 550 00:37:14,733 --> 00:37:16,943 "Look... I'm cooler than you are." 551 00:37:17,694 --> 00:37:19,779 WOLFE: "Why don't you fix your little problem 552 00:37:19,863 --> 00:37:20,989 "and light this candle?" 553 00:37:21,197 --> 00:37:24,659 DC power will be applied to the capsule. DC power will be applied to the capsule. 554 00:37:24,743 --> 00:37:26,494 WOLFE: And that seemed to pull 'em all together and said, 555 00:37:26,578 --> 00:37:30,290 "Okay, if he's willing to take the risk, then by God we should be willing, too." 556 00:37:30,874 --> 00:37:32,834 ENGINEER: T-minus 15 seconds. 557 00:37:33,793 --> 00:37:39,466 T-minus ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, 558 00:37:40,049 --> 00:37:43,470 -three, two, one, zero. -(BLASTS) 559 00:37:43,928 --> 00:37:46,097 Lift off. Ignition. 560 00:37:46,222 --> 00:37:48,558 SHEPARD: Roger, lift off and the clock has started. 561 00:37:49,392 --> 00:37:54,022 REPORTER: The Redstone is rising from its launching pad, slowly at first, 562 00:37:55,315 --> 00:37:57,525 going straight up into the sky. 563 00:37:58,735 --> 00:38:00,612 SHEPARD: Yes, sir, reading you loud and clear. 564 00:38:01,905 --> 00:38:04,824 RENICK: The sound is now reaching our vantage point here. 565 00:38:05,909 --> 00:38:07,494 So far, so good. 566 00:38:08,536 --> 00:38:10,872 The news people are applauding. 567 00:38:12,332 --> 00:38:14,167 Tremendous cheers going off. 568 00:38:14,542 --> 00:38:18,379 Alan B. Shepard in the nose cone of that rocket. 569 00:38:20,715 --> 00:38:26,846 SHEPARD: This is Freedom 7. The fuel is go, 1.2 G, cabin at 14 psi. 570 00:38:26,971 --> 00:38:28,431 Oxygen is go. 571 00:38:28,681 --> 00:38:30,809 REPORTER: Seventy-eight thousand pounds of thrust. 572 00:38:31,392 --> 00:38:33,269 They're pushing the missile up into the sky. 573 00:38:33,436 --> 00:38:34,896 ENGINEER: The trajectory is A-okay. 574 00:38:35,772 --> 00:38:39,567 REPORTER: The speed is picking up to 4,500 miles an hour... 575 00:38:42,237 --> 00:38:45,949 to carry spaceman Shepard 115 miles above the earth. 576 00:38:46,282 --> 00:38:49,285 LAUNCH STAFF: Freedom 7 is still go. The trajectory is A-okay. 577 00:38:50,203 --> 00:38:55,500 Freedom 7 with astronaut Alan B. Shepard reports the fuel system is go, 4 G. 578 00:38:56,167 --> 00:38:58,378 SHEPARD: Cabin holding at 5.5. 579 00:38:58,795 --> 00:39:03,508 LAUNCH STAFF: Cabin 5.5 pounds per square inch. Oxygen go, all systems go. 580 00:39:03,925 --> 00:39:07,637 HACKES: Medical monitor okay. Apparently, the flight is going just 581 00:39:07,720 --> 00:39:10,515 as well as planned, perhaps even a little better. 582 00:39:10,640 --> 00:39:13,935 None of the emergencies for which we had planned for so long 583 00:39:14,018 --> 00:39:17,397 has, uh, yet taken place, and, of course, we hope none of them will. 584 00:39:18,523 --> 00:39:21,568 SHEPARD: On the periscope, what a beautiful view. 585 00:39:23,236 --> 00:39:27,365 HACKES: At this point, the pilot is about six minutes and 30 seconds 586 00:39:27,448 --> 00:39:30,326 after his launch, 6:30 after launch. 587 00:39:30,577 --> 00:39:34,581 In just a moment or two, he will confirm that he is at the apogee of his flight, 588 00:39:34,664 --> 00:39:37,375 that is the most distant point from the Earth, 589 00:39:37,458 --> 00:39:40,879 which we expect will be 115 to 117 miles. 590 00:39:42,463 --> 00:39:43,840 (HELICOPTER WHIRRING) 591 00:39:44,090 --> 00:39:48,011 REPORTER: Far out at sea an armada of ships stand by to pick the capsule 592 00:39:48,344 --> 00:39:50,597 out of the sea after it parachutes in. 593 00:39:51,431 --> 00:39:54,517 SHEPARD: Okay, reentry attitude retros are jettisoned. 594 00:39:55,685 --> 00:39:57,687 MUELLER: The capsule is dropping radar chaff 595 00:39:57,812 --> 00:39:59,355 for the search planes and the ship. 596 00:40:02,150 --> 00:40:06,070 SHEPARD: Uh... G-buildup, three... 597 00:40:06,946 --> 00:40:09,490 six... nine. 598 00:40:12,410 --> 00:40:16,205 Main chute is green, main chute is coming un-reefed and looks good. 599 00:40:16,331 --> 00:40:18,833 HACKES: This, of course, will be the first, uh, word we get. 600 00:40:18,917 --> 00:40:22,503 We hope within a matter of seconds that the capsule has been spotted. 601 00:40:29,761 --> 00:40:31,971 DOWNS: It just hit the water a moment ago. 602 00:40:32,847 --> 00:40:36,100 A cheer went up from the ship company watching here from all decks 603 00:40:36,184 --> 00:40:37,518 on the aircraft carrier. 604 00:40:38,144 --> 00:40:42,148 The astronaut, Alan Shepard, has just climbed out of the capsule. 605 00:40:42,815 --> 00:40:46,319 And they are now trying to get him up into the helicopter. 606 00:40:53,576 --> 00:40:56,704 No one, especially newsmen, will be allowed to ask him any questions 607 00:40:56,788 --> 00:40:59,248 until he has been debriefed by doctors. 608 00:41:05,296 --> 00:41:08,967 WOLFE: Glenn and the others now watched from the sidelines as Al Shepard 609 00:41:09,092 --> 00:41:10,677 was hoisted out of their midst. 610 00:41:11,094 --> 00:41:13,763 REPORTER: Here come the astronauts, and there's Shepard! 611 00:41:14,013 --> 00:41:18,101 WOLFE: And installed as a national hero on the order of a Lindbergh. 612 00:41:20,353 --> 00:41:24,983 As the first United States Astronaut, was an outstanding contribution 613 00:41:25,650 --> 00:41:29,028 to the advancement of human knowledge of space technology. 614 00:41:29,153 --> 00:41:32,532 And I speak on behalf of, uh, the Vice President, who is Chairman 615 00:41:32,615 --> 00:41:35,827 of our Space Council, the members of the House and Senate, 616 00:41:36,202 --> 00:41:38,454 space committee who are with us today. 617 00:41:39,664 --> 00:41:40,748 And, uh... 618 00:41:41,207 --> 00:41:43,751 this decoration which has gone from the ground up, here. 619 00:41:43,835 --> 00:41:48,464 (LAUGHTER AND APPLAUSE) 620 00:41:57,890 --> 00:42:02,353 Well, all of a sudden during the period of the middle of the weightlessness, 621 00:42:03,187 --> 00:42:05,523 I realized that somebody was gonna ask me that question. 622 00:42:06,024 --> 00:42:08,359 (ALL LAUGH) 623 00:42:10,570 --> 00:42:11,446 So... 624 00:42:11,821 --> 00:42:15,033 (APPLAUSE) 625 00:42:15,575 --> 00:42:17,869 So, I said to myself you'd better figure out an answer. 626 00:42:20,580 --> 00:42:25,585 Seriously, as we have said before, uh, during the short periods of weightlessness 627 00:42:25,668 --> 00:42:28,171 that we've experienced during our training period, 628 00:42:28,838 --> 00:42:30,590 it's quite a pleasant sensation. 629 00:42:37,680 --> 00:42:39,724 KENNEDY: Finally, if we are to win the battle 630 00:42:39,974 --> 00:42:41,893 that is now going on around the world... 631 00:42:42,852 --> 00:42:47,774 between freedom and tyranny, the dramatic achievements in space, 632 00:42:47,857 --> 00:42:51,694 which occurred in recent weeks, should have made clear to us all, 633 00:42:52,612 --> 00:42:54,989 as did the Sputnik in 1957, 634 00:42:55,990 --> 00:43:01,079 impact of this adventure on the minds of men everywhere 635 00:43:02,038 --> 00:43:06,459 who are attempting to make a determination of which road they should take. 636 00:43:07,502 --> 00:43:11,798 I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal 637 00:43:12,673 --> 00:43:16,219 before this decade is out of landing a man on the Moon 638 00:43:16,302 --> 00:43:20,556 -and returning him safely to the Earth. -(APPLAUSE) 639 00:43:20,973 --> 00:43:24,811 SHEARER: The president put it like this, "It will not be one man going to the Moon, 640 00:43:24,894 --> 00:43:28,731 "it will be the entire nation, for all of us must work to put him there." 641 00:43:41,327 --> 00:43:45,915 (EPIC MUSIC PLAYING) 642 00:43:46,499 --> 00:43:49,544 MCGEE: This training device was created especially for the astronauts. 643 00:43:50,169 --> 00:43:53,673 By releasing jets of air, they learn to control their movements 644 00:43:53,756 --> 00:43:57,260 in any one of three directions, or any combination of the three. 645 00:44:08,980 --> 00:44:12,733 As they perform these exercises, a film strip of the world's geography 646 00:44:12,817 --> 00:44:16,320 is projected on a screen to help them learn, by instant sighting, 647 00:44:16,445 --> 00:44:18,739 where they may be along their projected path. 648 00:44:22,160 --> 00:44:23,995 Virgil Grissom is the astronaut. 649 00:44:24,787 --> 00:44:27,456 Do you have any difficulty convincing yourself that you might actually 650 00:44:27,540 --> 00:44:29,292 see the world go by like that someday? 651 00:44:29,750 --> 00:44:32,503 I really don't sit in the trainer and think about myself 652 00:44:32,628 --> 00:44:34,088 being 100 miles above the Earth. 653 00:44:35,506 --> 00:44:38,634 I'm occupied with the control task and this is the thing that 654 00:44:38,718 --> 00:44:40,678 really occupies my mind, not daydreaming. 655 00:44:44,182 --> 00:44:46,517 BERGMAN: And here we are back at ABC News headquarters 656 00:44:46,601 --> 00:44:47,894 on Cape Canaveral. 657 00:44:48,019 --> 00:44:51,606 Scarcely three minutes away from America's second manned space shot 658 00:44:51,856 --> 00:44:54,734 with captain Gus Grissom sitting in the Mercury space capsule 659 00:44:54,817 --> 00:44:57,612 atop that 83-foot high Redstone rocket. 660 00:44:58,321 --> 00:45:01,115 And as of now, everything looks like it's in a go condition. 661 00:45:05,494 --> 00:45:07,205 SHEPARD: Periscope has retracted. 662 00:45:09,540 --> 00:45:11,667 T-minus 15 seconds. 663 00:45:13,628 --> 00:45:17,506 Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, 664 00:45:18,257 --> 00:45:22,803 five, four, three, two, one. 665 00:45:23,304 --> 00:45:25,598 Ignition. Lift off. 666 00:45:25,765 --> 00:45:27,433 (LAUNCHES) 667 00:45:43,991 --> 00:45:46,744 MALE VOICE: All systems are go, and Gus Grissom sounds 668 00:45:46,827 --> 00:45:49,413 like a very confident test pilot today. 669 00:45:50,289 --> 00:45:52,166 -SHEPARD: Loud and clear. -LAUNCH STAFF: Roger. 670 00:45:53,125 --> 00:45:56,254 GRISSOM: Okay, the fuel is go, about one and a quarter Gs. 671 00:45:56,337 --> 00:45:59,423 Cabin pressure is just coming off the peg. The oxygen is go. 672 00:46:02,802 --> 00:46:04,428 POWERS: Six seventeen into the flight. 673 00:46:05,846 --> 00:46:08,516 The capsule is coming around into orbit attitude. 674 00:46:10,559 --> 00:46:14,272 He has brought his spacecraft around into reentry attitude 675 00:46:14,355 --> 00:46:17,566 that is with the big bell shape beginning to point down. 676 00:46:43,509 --> 00:46:46,345 REPORTER: Flight Surgeon reports that Gus Grissom came through 677 00:46:46,429 --> 00:46:49,682 the high G forces of reentry in A-okay condition. 678 00:47:05,573 --> 00:47:08,117 REPORTER: Now, we're advised that as a result of communications 679 00:47:08,200 --> 00:47:12,246 with Gus Grissom floating in the water, he's told his recovery helicopters that 680 00:47:12,830 --> 00:47:16,292 he intends to finish his checklist and make sure that everything is secure 681 00:47:16,375 --> 00:47:18,878 in the cockpit before he opens the hatch to come out. 682 00:47:22,048 --> 00:47:24,759 (HELICOPTER WHIRRING) 683 00:47:30,473 --> 00:47:33,559 MALE VOICE: The astronaut, Virgil Grissom, is out of the capsule, 684 00:47:33,642 --> 00:47:34,935 swimming in the water. 685 00:47:41,817 --> 00:47:44,904 The capsule itself is apparently sinking lower into the water... 686 00:47:47,406 --> 00:47:51,202 and there is fear that it might sink completely below the surface of the water. 687 00:47:51,494 --> 00:47:54,455 Two helicopters are hovering very close to the astronaut 688 00:47:54,538 --> 00:47:55,790 and the capsule out there. 689 00:48:00,795 --> 00:48:03,339 The helicopter is holding up the capsule itself. 690 00:48:03,631 --> 00:48:06,342 They're checking on Grissom again, but the helicopter has a cable 691 00:48:06,425 --> 00:48:09,387 aboard the capsule and is holding it up at the present time. 692 00:48:11,013 --> 00:48:14,058 The helicopter is hovering over and holding the capsule up. 693 00:48:14,767 --> 00:48:18,562 The capsule was sinking badly in the water and that's the reason that Virgil Grissom 694 00:48:18,646 --> 00:48:20,231 got out of the capsule. 695 00:48:22,191 --> 00:48:24,360 One helicopter is hovering very close to the capsule 696 00:48:24,485 --> 00:48:26,070 and now they're moving in beside it. 697 00:48:26,278 --> 00:48:29,573 They'll have to hold the capsule up and get a cable down to Grissom as well. 698 00:48:31,951 --> 00:48:33,119 (LOUD SPLASH) 699 00:48:33,577 --> 00:48:35,454 MALE VOICE: The capsule has dropped. 700 00:48:35,788 --> 00:48:38,165 The capsule has been dropped by the helicopter. 701 00:48:38,499 --> 00:48:40,209 And it's dropped back into the water. 702 00:48:40,292 --> 00:48:42,628 Now, whether they can get it again before it sinks or not, 703 00:48:42,962 --> 00:48:45,297 that is going to be a major problem at this time. 704 00:48:53,347 --> 00:48:55,266 WOLFE: By this time, Grissom was nearly drowning. 705 00:48:55,349 --> 00:48:57,518 He had forgotten to close one of the inlet valves 706 00:48:57,601 --> 00:48:59,145 for the oxygen supply in his suit. 707 00:49:00,521 --> 00:49:02,523 (HELICOPTER WHIRRING) 708 00:49:04,442 --> 00:49:07,778 REPORTER: They're making an attempt to get a cable to Virgil Grissom. 709 00:49:10,990 --> 00:49:14,577 And it looks like Grissom is coming up now, it looks like Grissom is coming up 710 00:49:14,702 --> 00:49:18,747 out of the water. And there's, you can, you can see him now. 711 00:49:18,956 --> 00:49:22,376 He's about four miles from us, and he's being pulled up. 712 00:49:29,383 --> 00:49:33,220 And Grissom is safe and sound in the helicopter after his dunking 713 00:49:33,304 --> 00:49:35,556 when the capsule itself started to sink. 714 00:49:41,395 --> 00:49:44,648 MCGEE: To recap briefly, we have had a second successful launching 715 00:49:44,732 --> 00:49:47,943 of an American astronaut. Obviously not as successful as the first one 716 00:49:48,027 --> 00:49:51,155 because the capsule itself was lost in the recovery operation, 717 00:49:51,238 --> 00:49:54,492 but successful in its most important and critical area. 718 00:49:54,700 --> 00:49:58,746 The astronaut himself, Air Force Captain Virgil Grissom, was recovered. 719 00:50:00,456 --> 00:50:02,958 WOLFE: The capsule had been equipped for the first time with a hatch 720 00:50:03,042 --> 00:50:04,502 that could be opened from the inside. 721 00:50:07,171 --> 00:50:11,175 Now, the controversy was over whether or not he had panicked and decided, 722 00:50:11,258 --> 00:50:13,135 "I've gotta get out of this thing," and hit the button, 723 00:50:13,219 --> 00:50:15,721 causing this catastrophe. Or whether he had blundered, 724 00:50:16,055 --> 00:50:18,224 and had inadvertently somehow hit the thing, 725 00:50:18,557 --> 00:50:21,060 either of which would be a cardinal sin. 726 00:50:22,144 --> 00:50:23,938 REPORTER: The President has called 727 00:50:24,063 --> 00:50:27,274 to the astronaut Captain Virgil Gus Grissom. 728 00:50:52,091 --> 00:50:54,051 WOLFE: Grissom had John F. Kennedy to thank. 729 00:51:00,766 --> 00:51:05,229 He was not about to let the second flight of his new administration 730 00:51:05,729 --> 00:51:07,356 be classified as a debacle. 731 00:51:08,524 --> 00:51:10,401 By, it's kind of universal agreement, it was said, 732 00:51:10,484 --> 00:51:12,778 "Well, Gus's flight was really a success. 733 00:51:16,282 --> 00:51:18,325 "He just had a little trouble at the very end." 734 00:51:24,081 --> 00:51:26,500 GRISSOM: I started my, uh, pitch and yaw movement 735 00:51:26,584 --> 00:51:31,255 to check out the manual control system, and, uh, I was so fascinated by this view 736 00:51:31,338 --> 00:51:33,757 out the window that I had difficulty controlling on... 737 00:51:34,049 --> 00:51:35,718 difficulty concentrating on the instruments. 738 00:51:35,801 --> 00:51:37,344 I kept wanting to peek out the window. 739 00:51:38,679 --> 00:51:39,680 You over here. 740 00:51:40,306 --> 00:51:44,226 REPORTER: What happened to the inflatable, uh, life raft, Gus? 741 00:51:44,310 --> 00:51:47,313 Did you have to get out too fast for that, or what's the procedure? 742 00:51:47,396 --> 00:51:51,191 GRISSOM: Uh... I took off my helmet, unstrapped myself, 743 00:51:51,609 --> 00:51:55,738 I called, uh, helicopters, told them I was ready to come out. 744 00:51:56,030 --> 00:51:58,991 So I was all set, waiting for them, laid back down on the couch. 745 00:51:59,491 --> 00:52:02,036 I was just laying there, minding my own business when, "Pow," 746 00:52:02,745 --> 00:52:05,247 the hatch went, I looked up, and I saw nothing but blue sky, 747 00:52:05,331 --> 00:52:06,999 and water starting to come in over the sill. 748 00:52:07,082 --> 00:52:09,710 Uh, without a doubt that was the biggest shock of the day to me, 749 00:52:09,793 --> 00:52:10,919 to see that door go off. 750 00:52:11,170 --> 00:52:12,880 -Back, over here. -REPORTER: Do you have an impression 751 00:52:12,963 --> 00:52:15,132 of how much time elapsed between the time the hatch blew 752 00:52:15,215 --> 00:52:17,509 -and the capsule would fill? -REPORTER: Somebody said to you, 753 00:52:17,635 --> 00:52:20,137 "Get out of the blank, blank capsule quick." 754 00:52:20,429 --> 00:52:22,640 -Was this part of your conversation? -REPORTER: In addition to the hatch, 755 00:52:22,723 --> 00:52:24,391 what are the other things you... 756 00:52:24,475 --> 00:52:26,310 REPORTER: Captain, do you have any explanation 757 00:52:26,393 --> 00:52:28,187 of why that escape hatch came off? 758 00:52:28,270 --> 00:52:31,982 Is it possible you could have grazed against the plunger button? 759 00:52:32,775 --> 00:52:35,194 Well, I'm, uh, pretty certain in my own mind that I didn't 760 00:52:35,277 --> 00:52:37,279 because it's quite difficult to get to it. 761 00:52:37,905 --> 00:52:42,368 (APPLAUSE) 762 00:52:42,951 --> 00:52:46,705 REPORTER: NBC News has presented a news conference by Mercury astronaut 763 00:52:46,830 --> 00:52:51,502 Virgil I. Grissom, who, yesterday, became America's second man into space. 764 00:53:08,394 --> 00:53:10,688 REPORTER: Two pilot teams have been selected 765 00:53:10,783 --> 00:53:14,458 for Project Mercury's initial manned orbital spaceflight. 766 00:53:15,609 --> 00:53:19,530 John H. Glenn Jr. has been selected for the first flight 767 00:53:20,114 --> 00:53:22,491 with Scott Carpenter acting as backup. 768 00:53:27,663 --> 00:53:30,249 GLENN: We've done a great amount of training, as you're well aware. 769 00:53:30,666 --> 00:53:34,920 A lot of it has been new and varied, and as we have gone through a lot of this, 770 00:53:35,045 --> 00:53:38,006 I have tried to share a lot of this with the family when I come home 771 00:53:38,090 --> 00:53:39,591 from various activities. 772 00:53:39,758 --> 00:53:42,761 In fact, that's usually the first thing we do when I get home from a trip. 773 00:53:42,845 --> 00:53:45,723 We all, uh, get caught up, not only on my activities, 774 00:53:45,806 --> 00:53:48,559 but on what Annie and the children have been doing, too. 775 00:53:50,102 --> 00:53:53,021 I'm sure you've given some thought to the possibility that this flight 776 00:53:53,105 --> 00:53:55,357 may not turn out well, and that you may not come back. 777 00:53:56,191 --> 00:53:57,943 If that should happen, what kind of a memory 778 00:53:58,026 --> 00:53:59,903 would you want your boy to have about you? 779 00:54:08,036 --> 00:54:10,581 Well, that's an interesting question, to say the least. (CHUCKLES) 780 00:54:10,664 --> 00:54:11,623 MCGEE: It is. 781 00:54:12,666 --> 00:54:14,126 GLENN: We all have certain talents. 782 00:54:14,334 --> 00:54:17,671 It's up to us to use those talents that we have to the maximum. 783 00:54:17,921 --> 00:54:22,551 And if I can leave that sort of a heritage that I used the talents I had to the best 784 00:54:22,801 --> 00:54:26,889 of my ability while I was here, I think that's the best memory anyone could leave. 785 00:54:29,516 --> 00:54:31,351 REPORTER: Around town, the tension is building, 786 00:54:31,435 --> 00:54:33,395 perhaps more than we've ever seen it here. 787 00:54:35,898 --> 00:54:39,526 RENICK: The big question here surrounding tomorrow's scheduled launch 788 00:54:39,610 --> 00:54:42,029 of astronaut John Glenn into a triple orbit around 789 00:54:42,112 --> 00:54:43,655 the Earth is weather. 790 00:54:44,031 --> 00:54:47,159 Weather here at the launch site and downrange in the Atlantic 791 00:54:47,284 --> 00:54:52,269 where Navy recovery vessels are scheduled to meet Glenn as he comes out of orbit. 792 00:54:59,379 --> 00:55:03,050 WOLFE: John Glenn was about to make his flight, 793 00:55:03,133 --> 00:55:05,385 in which he would be the first American to go into orbit. 794 00:55:08,138 --> 00:55:11,225 The flight was to take place in February, and there was about four or five flights 795 00:55:11,308 --> 00:55:13,310 that were delayed by the weather. 796 00:55:18,232 --> 00:55:21,610 Glenn had been up on top of the rocket for five and a half hours, 797 00:55:22,194 --> 00:55:23,737 waiting for the weather to clear. 798 00:55:25,823 --> 00:55:29,493 Finally, it wouldn't clear, and the flight was scrubbed. 799 00:55:31,453 --> 00:55:32,996 REPORTER: I have an announcement for you. 800 00:55:33,288 --> 00:55:34,998 An attempt to launch a man 801 00:55:35,082 --> 00:55:38,252 to orbital Project Mercury spacecraft here today... 802 00:55:38,794 --> 00:55:43,048 was postponed due to a heavy overcast in the launch area. 803 00:55:44,132 --> 00:55:47,052 WOLFE: And at this point, Lyndon Johnson, who was Vice President, 804 00:55:47,135 --> 00:55:50,681 and had been made a kind of functionary in-charge of the space program 805 00:55:50,806 --> 00:55:52,391 to give a Vice President something to do, 806 00:55:52,599 --> 00:55:55,352 was suffering an extreme case of media deprivation. 807 00:55:55,435 --> 00:55:58,689 And he was determined to get inside of the Glenn household, 808 00:55:58,772 --> 00:56:00,983 and console Annie Glenn... 809 00:56:01,567 --> 00:56:04,444 on nationwide television for the ordeal that she had had to go through 810 00:56:04,528 --> 00:56:07,531 while waiting to see if her husband was going to be exploded into space, 811 00:56:07,614 --> 00:56:08,866 or up to the harp form. 812 00:56:09,491 --> 00:56:11,827 REPORTER: The reaction here at the Glenn household, of course, 813 00:56:11,910 --> 00:56:15,289 is one of disappointment. Mrs. Glenn, uh, was anxious for the shot 814 00:56:15,372 --> 00:56:17,875 to go this morning, as, uh, were all of us. 815 00:56:18,292 --> 00:56:21,336 She is looking forward to the next launching date, yet to be announced. 816 00:56:21,420 --> 00:56:24,006 As you can see, a large crowd of reporters, neighbors, 817 00:56:24,089 --> 00:56:26,425 and casual spectators are gathered here. 818 00:56:27,467 --> 00:56:30,554 WOLFE: Now, Annie Glenn was terrified of this visit. 819 00:56:31,096 --> 00:56:33,390 Fact was, as practically no one in the country knew, 820 00:56:33,515 --> 00:56:35,058 she had a ferocious stutter. 821 00:56:37,978 --> 00:56:40,606 So, she kept sending out word that, "No. Thank you very much. 822 00:56:40,689 --> 00:56:42,482 "I really don't want to see the Vice President. 823 00:56:42,566 --> 00:56:44,026 "It's a very private moment for me." 824 00:56:44,484 --> 00:56:45,986 She just wouldn't let him in the door. 825 00:56:46,361 --> 00:56:49,281 And by now, he was in a limousine about six blocks away, 826 00:56:49,364 --> 00:56:52,200 waiting to be admitted to the presence of the space-wife. 827 00:56:53,619 --> 00:56:56,204 First thing Glenn knows, he's back in the ready room, 828 00:56:56,288 --> 00:56:59,166 taking off his pressure suit, and in comes a delegation... 829 00:56:59,458 --> 00:57:01,919 of brass from NASA, marching into the place, saying, 830 00:57:02,044 --> 00:57:03,420 "John, we need your cooperation, 831 00:57:03,503 --> 00:57:05,255 "we're having a little problem with your wife." 832 00:57:05,339 --> 00:57:06,924 He says, "You're having a problem with my wife?" 833 00:57:07,341 --> 00:57:10,093 And they said, "Well, yeah, she won't let the Vice President into the house. 834 00:57:10,177 --> 00:57:13,096 "And you tell her, she's going to let the Vice President of the United States 835 00:57:13,180 --> 00:57:16,600 "into that house to console her." So Glenn gets on the telephone, 836 00:57:16,683 --> 00:57:20,062 and he says, "Look, if you don't want the Vice President to come in, 837 00:57:20,145 --> 00:57:23,273 "if you don't want the President to come in, they're not coming in!" 838 00:57:24,816 --> 00:57:30,113 Well, Glenn, with that gesture, stood a good chance of losing his flight 839 00:57:31,114 --> 00:57:33,367 because James Webb, who was the new administrator of NASA 840 00:57:33,450 --> 00:57:35,369 at that time, he wanted to replace him right away. 841 00:57:36,078 --> 00:57:37,829 You know, he said, "He's not a team player." 842 00:57:38,747 --> 00:57:41,875 It was only the fact that some of Webb's subordinates immediately said, 843 00:57:41,959 --> 00:57:44,086 "Look, the astronauts have their differences. 844 00:57:44,169 --> 00:57:45,379 "They have a lot of rivalries. 845 00:57:45,462 --> 00:57:47,631 "But on something like this, they're going to close ranks 846 00:57:48,173 --> 00:57:51,093 "as any pilots would in a squadron, and they're going to rebel. 847 00:57:54,471 --> 00:57:56,723 "And you simply will not be able to carry it through." 848 00:58:10,237 --> 00:58:12,823 KAPLOW: And here is pilot Glenn stepping out now. 849 00:58:14,950 --> 00:58:17,577 Switching the portable air cooler 850 00:58:17,661 --> 00:58:19,913 from his left to his right hand, then back to his left. 851 00:58:19,997 --> 00:58:23,500 And he moves his way around the front of the truck on Launchpad 14. 852 00:58:29,423 --> 00:58:32,009 And now stepping into the elevator, followed by Dr. Douglas, 853 00:58:32,092 --> 00:58:35,804 by suit technician Schmitt, by astronaut Deke Slayton. 854 00:58:39,349 --> 00:58:43,020 BERGMAN: Colonel John Glenn was awakened at 2:20 a.m. Eastern Time 855 00:58:43,145 --> 00:58:45,689 this morning to begin preparing for this mission. 856 00:58:48,233 --> 00:58:51,945 The second attempt at getting the free world's first man hurled 857 00:58:52,029 --> 00:58:54,406 into a three-orbit mission around this world. 858 00:59:11,173 --> 00:59:13,550 I don't know any words for this except the trite ones, 859 00:59:13,675 --> 00:59:15,969 tension is mounting here at Cape Canaveral. 860 00:59:16,511 --> 00:59:20,390 We've heard that phrase so many times before, but I don't know any circumstance 861 00:59:20,474 --> 00:59:22,309 to which is applies quite like this. 862 00:59:22,517 --> 00:59:24,102 FLIGHT DIRECTOR: Status check, pressurization? 863 00:59:24,186 --> 00:59:27,189 MALE VOICE: Go. LOX tanking? I have a blinking, high-level light? 864 00:59:27,314 --> 00:59:30,150 -MALE VOICE 1: You are Go! -MALE VOICE 2: Umbilical retract now? 865 00:59:30,275 --> 00:59:32,527 -FLIGHT DIRECTOR: Range operations? -LAUNCH STAFF: Go, clear to launch. 866 00:59:32,611 --> 00:59:34,112 -FLIGHT DIRECTOR: Mercury capsule? -LAUNCH STAFF: Go! 867 00:59:34,196 --> 00:59:38,200 Fifteen seconds. Good Lord riding all the way. Godspeed, John Glenn. 868 00:59:38,366 --> 00:59:41,119 REPORTER: Moving past 30 seconds into the countdown. 869 00:59:41,203 --> 00:59:42,788 LAUNCH STAFF: Ten seconds and counting. 870 00:59:43,371 --> 00:59:46,458 -REPORTER: T-minus ten seconds. -LAUNCH STAFF: Ten, nine, eight, seven, 871 00:59:46,625 --> 00:59:50,212 six, five, four, three 872 00:59:50,796 --> 00:59:54,716 two, one, zero, ignition. 873 00:59:55,842 --> 00:59:59,096 Liftoff. Liftoff! 874 01:00:01,348 --> 01:00:03,850 (TRIUMPHANT MUSIC PLAYING) 875 01:00:06,019 --> 01:00:08,230 REPORTER: The Atlas missile has lifted off from the pad, 876 01:00:09,022 --> 01:00:11,274 and is rising steady into the sky. 877 01:00:20,909 --> 01:00:23,286 (ROCKET ENGINE ROARING) 878 01:00:36,049 --> 01:00:42,722 REPORTER: As John Glenn Jr. has begun his first orbital ride around the Earth. 879 01:00:54,109 --> 01:00:56,319 The time of the lift off was 9:47. 880 01:00:56,611 --> 01:00:59,614 As the spacecraft moved out of sight from Florida, 881 01:00:59,698 --> 01:01:01,950 it was picked up by the Bermuda tracking station. 882 01:01:02,826 --> 01:01:05,871 John Glenn's voice was coming in loud and clear. 883 01:01:06,788 --> 01:01:09,332 GLENN: So, the sun is coming up behind me in the periscope, 884 01:01:09,624 --> 01:01:11,877 a brilliant, brilliant red. Over. 885 01:01:13,253 --> 01:01:14,754 -MALE VOICE: Roger. -(RADIO STATIC) 886 01:01:22,304 --> 01:01:24,514 TOWNSEND: Exactly one hour and three minutes ago, 887 01:01:24,639 --> 01:01:26,892 John Glenn left Cape Canaveral. 888 01:01:27,267 --> 01:01:31,605 Traveling at 17,545 miles an hour at an altitude varying 889 01:01:31,771 --> 01:01:35,233 from 100 to 160 miles above the Earth. 890 01:01:38,778 --> 01:01:40,530 REPORTER: Did you ever show up for work today? 891 01:01:40,614 --> 01:01:43,909 FEMALE VOICE: Yes, I did. We got permission from our company to watch it. 892 01:01:43,992 --> 01:01:45,327 REPORTER: Good for them. I don't... 893 01:01:45,410 --> 01:01:47,704 imagine they figure they'd get much work out of you anyway. 894 01:01:47,787 --> 01:01:50,081 Not today. They said this is more important than work. 895 01:01:52,042 --> 01:01:55,378 GLENN: Uh, this is Friendship 7, I'll try to describe what I'm in here. 896 01:01:55,754 --> 01:01:59,758 Uh, I am in a... a big mass of some very small particles, 897 01:02:00,217 --> 01:02:03,094 uh, that are brilliantly lit up, like they're luminescent. 898 01:02:03,178 --> 01:02:05,347 I never saw anything like it. They're around a little... 899 01:02:05,931 --> 01:02:07,599 they're coming by the capsule... 900 01:02:08,767 --> 01:02:12,729 uh, and they look like little stars, a whole shower of them coming by. 901 01:02:14,648 --> 01:02:17,192 WOLFE: They were undoubtedly particles of some sort, 902 01:02:17,484 --> 01:02:20,278 particles that caught the sunlight at a certain angle. 903 01:02:21,071 --> 01:02:22,197 They were beautiful. 904 01:02:23,949 --> 01:02:25,909 There are literally thousands of them. 905 01:02:26,910 --> 01:02:28,620 WOLFE: But were they coming from the capsule? 906 01:02:28,995 --> 01:02:30,205 That could mean trouble. 907 01:02:37,254 --> 01:02:40,465 WOLFE: They swirled around his capsule like tiny weightless diamonds, 908 01:02:40,674 --> 01:02:44,010 little bijoux, no? They were more like fireflies. 909 01:02:45,387 --> 01:02:47,597 GLENN: Uh, now that I am out in the bright sun, 910 01:02:47,973 --> 01:02:49,891 uh, they seem to have disappeared. 911 01:02:59,526 --> 01:03:01,111 LAUNCH STAFF: Flight from data reduction. 912 01:03:01,736 --> 01:03:02,737 Go ahead. 913 01:03:18,169 --> 01:03:19,212 (ALARM BLINKING) 914 01:03:19,421 --> 01:03:22,590 LAUNCH STAFF: Uh, Friendship 7, uh, we have been reading, uh, 915 01:03:22,674 --> 01:03:26,720 indication on the ground on segment 51, which is landing bag deploy. 916 01:03:27,053 --> 01:03:29,889 Uh, we suspect this is an erroneous signal. 917 01:03:34,602 --> 01:03:37,230 WOLFE: If the landing bag had deployed, and there was no way 918 01:03:37,314 --> 01:03:38,982 he could look out and see it, 919 01:03:39,274 --> 01:03:43,153 not even with the periscope because it would be directly behind him, 920 01:03:43,361 --> 01:03:46,781 if it had deployed, then the heat shield must be loose, 921 01:03:47,115 --> 01:03:49,159 and might come off during reentry. 922 01:03:50,493 --> 01:03:55,915 If the heat shield came off, he would burn up inside the capsule like a steak. 923 01:03:58,585 --> 01:04:02,380 REPORTER: When the, uh, craft does begin to encounter denser atmosphere 924 01:04:02,464 --> 01:04:07,135 that temperature we were talking about will mount up to about 3,000 degrees. 925 01:04:07,385 --> 01:04:11,306 That will occur at approximately 25 miles altitude. 926 01:04:12,140 --> 01:04:17,062 And at that point, the spacecraft will be moving at about 15,000 miles an hour. 927 01:04:17,479 --> 01:04:20,648 The craft will sustain temperature of that amount for about two minutes, 928 01:04:21,107 --> 01:04:25,445 and the problem will be to have it absorbed by the heat shield, 929 01:04:25,528 --> 01:04:30,200 which is made of a very special sort of plastic material that will burn off. 930 01:04:33,912 --> 01:04:36,414 LAUNCH STAFF: Can you give him that message please, Linus? 931 01:04:36,623 --> 01:04:37,832 Roger, we can do. 932 01:04:39,459 --> 01:04:41,211 SHEPARD: Uh, Seven, this is Cape. Over? 933 01:04:41,920 --> 01:04:45,215 We're not sure whether or not your landing bag has deployed. 934 01:04:45,590 --> 01:04:50,345 Uh, we feel it's far safer to re-enter with the retro package on. 935 01:04:50,762 --> 01:04:55,141 Uh, we see no difficulty at this time in that type of reentry. Over. 936 01:04:55,475 --> 01:04:58,103 Uh, this is Friendship 7. Now, what is the reason for this? 937 01:04:58,186 --> 01:04:59,646 Do you have any reason? Over. 938 01:05:05,360 --> 01:05:08,071 DAVIS: There had been some trouble with the heat shield equipment 939 01:05:08,571 --> 01:05:12,158 over Hawaii, and they have taken a precautionary measure 940 01:05:12,242 --> 01:05:15,787 to keep the heat shield equipment on with the retro package for a while, 941 01:05:16,246 --> 01:05:19,457 to make sure that the warning they got was a false warning. 942 01:05:19,833 --> 01:05:23,920 And so, the heat shield retro packet was kept on the space capsule, 943 01:05:24,254 --> 01:05:26,005 and, uh, precautions were taken. 944 01:05:26,631 --> 01:05:30,176 Uh, this is Friendship 7, uh, going to reentry attitude then in that case. 945 01:05:31,511 --> 01:05:33,346 REPORTER: The retro packet and the retrorockets 946 01:05:33,471 --> 01:05:35,181 we talk about are really brakes. 947 01:05:35,598 --> 01:05:40,520 John Glenn's capsule was in space with the large blunt end, facing forward, 948 01:05:40,603 --> 01:05:43,773 and the retrorockets are on that blunt end. 949 01:05:44,232 --> 01:05:47,861 And what they are, is they throw some thrust out forward, 950 01:05:48,069 --> 01:05:51,072 slowing the capsule down, and that reduces its speed 951 01:05:51,156 --> 01:05:55,243 below orbital velocity, and the capsule starts to reenter the atmosphere. 952 01:05:55,994 --> 01:05:57,704 All right, roger, retracting scope manually. 953 01:05:59,330 --> 01:06:03,042 REPORTER: He is in good condition, and preparing to fire those retrorockets 954 01:06:03,168 --> 01:06:06,254 to begin that long landing flight towards the Atlantic. 955 01:06:07,505 --> 01:06:12,927 CAPCOM: Five, four, three, two, one, fire. 956 01:06:14,012 --> 01:06:17,724 GLENN: Roger, retros are firing. Are they ever. 957 01:06:18,141 --> 01:06:19,976 It feels like I'm going back toward Hawaii. 958 01:06:29,611 --> 01:06:31,112 CAPCOM: Uh, Seven, this is Cape. Over. 959 01:06:32,405 --> 01:06:35,658 -Go ahead, Cape, you're going out. -(RADIO STATIC) 960 01:06:35,867 --> 01:06:37,994 CAPCOM: Uh, we recommend that you... 961 01:06:47,587 --> 01:06:50,632 LAUNCH STAFF: Friendship 7 spacecraft is now encountering the atmosphere 962 01:06:51,257 --> 01:06:53,384 off the east coast of Florida. 963 01:06:53,635 --> 01:06:55,470 TOWNSEND: He's over the east coast of Florida, 964 01:06:55,720 --> 01:06:59,224 and, uh, at the moment, there is no contact with John Glenn. 965 01:07:01,059 --> 01:07:04,312 GLENN: (INAUDIBLE) I have a white sand... correction... 966 01:07:04,437 --> 01:07:06,356 CAPCOM: Uh, Seven, this is Cape, do you read? Over. 967 01:07:13,071 --> 01:07:16,574 POWERS: The Mercury spacecraft is in its reentry process at this time. 968 01:07:17,116 --> 01:07:19,452 CAPCOM: Uh, Seven, this is Cape, do you read? Over. 969 01:07:20,620 --> 01:07:23,706 POWERS: We are not receiving any voice communication at this time. 970 01:07:24,040 --> 01:07:28,378 And we're waiting for the electric moment when we hear that the main chute 971 01:07:28,461 --> 01:07:31,839 has deployed, and is bringing him safely back to Earth. 972 01:07:32,257 --> 01:07:34,133 CAPCOM: Friendship 7, this is Cape, do you read? 973 01:07:38,388 --> 01:07:41,224 (INDISTINCT CLAMOR) 974 01:07:43,601 --> 01:07:49,023 (INTENSE MUSIC PLAYING) 975 01:07:51,526 --> 01:07:54,028 GLENN: This is Friendship 7. A real fireball outside. 976 01:08:13,339 --> 01:08:17,927 DOWNS: We have not yet seen any sign of the drogue parachute, 977 01:08:18,011 --> 01:08:21,306 which would appear, it opens up at about 40,000 feet. 978 01:08:23,683 --> 01:08:24,767 (AIR WHOOSHES LOUDLY) 979 01:08:25,018 --> 01:08:28,146 GLENN: The chute is on green, chute is out in reef condition 980 01:08:28,229 --> 01:08:31,816 at 10,800 feet and beautiful chute. 981 01:08:32,942 --> 01:08:34,193 Chute looks good. 982 01:08:35,862 --> 01:08:39,115 LAUNCH STAFF: The Destroyer has the capsule parachute in sight. 983 01:08:39,490 --> 01:08:41,117 -They are talking. -MALE VOICE: Roger. 984 01:08:41,576 --> 01:08:44,120 TOWNSEND: He should be splashing down in about 20 seconds from now, 985 01:08:44,203 --> 01:08:45,538 if our advance estimate is correct. 986 01:08:48,750 --> 01:08:50,752 This is Friendship 7, standing by for impact. 987 01:08:56,633 --> 01:09:00,303 TOWNSEND: Right now, the Destroyer Noa is coming 988 01:09:00,386 --> 01:09:02,138 right alongside the capsule. 989 01:09:02,388 --> 01:09:06,476 So, within a matter of a very few minutes, we ought to be getting word 990 01:09:06,726 --> 01:09:10,063 on the pickup of John Glenn from the Friendship 7. 991 01:09:12,440 --> 01:09:15,276 We have another report now from Colonel Powers. Here he is. 992 01:09:15,360 --> 01:09:17,445 POWERS: The spacecraft was picked up clear of the water 993 01:09:17,528 --> 01:09:19,364 at one minute after 3:00, 994 01:09:19,447 --> 01:09:22,325 and finally set down on the deck at four minutes 995 01:09:22,408 --> 01:09:25,036 after 3:00 this afternoon, Eastern Standard Time. 996 01:09:27,121 --> 01:09:28,748 SHADEL: We have our reporter, Dave Nichols, 997 01:09:28,831 --> 01:09:30,750 standing by at Arlington, Virginia, 998 01:09:31,209 --> 01:09:32,502 at the home of Colonel Glenn. 999 01:09:33,961 --> 01:09:37,006 Mrs. Glenn will make an appearance there for the first time today. 1000 01:09:37,965 --> 01:09:40,718 There are several things that... that we would like to say, 1001 01:09:40,802 --> 01:09:42,929 but I would want everyone to know... 1002 01:09:43,971 --> 01:09:47,433 that this is the most wonderful day for my family, and we're quite... 1003 01:09:47,517 --> 01:09:52,355 we're so proud of our... of their... their... their father, 1004 01:09:53,022 --> 01:09:56,192 of the... Mercury team... 1005 01:09:57,568 --> 01:10:01,239 of everyone that's made this such a successful day. 1006 01:10:15,628 --> 01:10:19,590 TOWNSEND: Each orbit took approximately 89 minutes. There were three of them. 1007 01:10:20,133 --> 01:10:24,679 Undoubtedly, the most eventful four hours and 50 minutes of his entire life. 1008 01:10:28,516 --> 01:10:31,352 GLENN: Perhaps I could've been given information a little earlier 1009 01:10:31,477 --> 01:10:34,605 and a little more completely on the heat shield problem 1010 01:10:34,689 --> 01:10:36,357 where they thought it possibly was loose. 1011 01:10:38,109 --> 01:10:40,611 Apparently, there was a very, very lengthy discussion on this 1012 01:10:40,695 --> 01:10:43,865 that I was unaware of. And, uh, if I had been aware that 1013 01:10:44,073 --> 01:10:46,325 there was possibly a problem in this regard, 1014 01:10:46,951 --> 01:10:49,912 I would have been aware to watch more closely for little bumps 1015 01:10:49,996 --> 01:10:52,999 on the capsule, or anything that might have given a clue as to our status. 1016 01:10:54,584 --> 01:10:57,003 I was kept reasonably in the dark on this. 1017 01:10:59,130 --> 01:11:02,008 -How do you do, sir? What's your name? -My name is Oliver Whiting, 1018 01:11:02,091 --> 01:11:03,593 and I'm a British subject, sir. 1019 01:11:03,676 --> 01:11:05,803 That's rather apparent, sir, what do you think of, uh... 1020 01:11:05,887 --> 01:11:08,181 -Well, I think this is one of... -...what America and the free world 1021 01:11:08,306 --> 01:11:10,892 -have accomplished today. -Indeed. I think it's one of the greatest 1022 01:11:11,017 --> 01:11:14,520 scientific advances that has ever taken place in the lives of anybody 1023 01:11:14,604 --> 01:11:17,315 in this vast concourse. And I would like to say something, 1024 01:11:17,398 --> 01:11:19,442 -if I may be permitted to do so. -Please do. 1025 01:11:19,650 --> 01:11:23,738 Well, sir, it's this, I think that in this scientific age today, 1026 01:11:23,863 --> 01:11:26,491 we have shrunk the surface of the Earth 1027 01:11:26,949 --> 01:11:29,952 to such a state that now it's a single unit, and we cannot think 1028 01:11:30,036 --> 01:11:32,497 of it as otherwise, and I hope we never will again. 1029 01:11:41,088 --> 01:11:43,049 CRONKITE: John Glenn arrived home this morning 1030 01:11:43,132 --> 01:11:45,092 to be met in Florida by his family. 1031 01:11:54,852 --> 01:11:58,481 (CHEERING) 1032 01:12:06,989 --> 01:12:09,075 (MOTORCYCLE ENGINES REV) 1033 01:12:13,996 --> 01:12:16,666 CRONKITE: John Glenn now points out details 1034 01:12:16,749 --> 01:12:18,793 of the capsule to President Kennedy. 1035 01:12:19,377 --> 01:12:22,380 GLENN: Normally, those retrorockets are dropped off after firing. 1036 01:12:22,505 --> 01:12:24,882 There was some indication, though, on the ground 1037 01:12:25,299 --> 01:12:27,885 that the, uh, heat shield might have come loose, 1038 01:12:28,177 --> 01:12:31,013 and if this had happened, why, of course, the whole thing would just have 1039 01:12:31,097 --> 01:12:32,849 disintegrated, and burned up. 1040 01:12:33,432 --> 01:12:36,602 So that was rather... it was an interesting return. 1041 01:12:36,978 --> 01:12:39,480 Kind of like having a... (INAUDIBLE) 1042 01:12:40,356 --> 01:12:43,985 CRONKITE: Along with some answers, Glenn's flight produced some questions, 1043 01:12:44,068 --> 01:12:46,529 like the mystery of the tiny luminous particles 1044 01:12:46,654 --> 01:12:48,698 he reported seeing with each sunrise. 1045 01:12:49,490 --> 01:12:51,325 All I can say about these is I observed them. 1046 01:12:51,409 --> 01:12:56,747 I saw them for about, from the first light of sun to a period of some... 1047 01:12:57,498 --> 01:13:01,085 Uh... oh, three and a half, four minutes. 1048 01:13:01,919 --> 01:13:04,755 That time period made close observation of them. 1049 01:13:05,089 --> 01:13:08,759 Uh, they were very luminous, a yellowish green color. 1050 01:13:10,011 --> 01:13:13,848 And, uh, as George Ralph, our psychiatrist listened to this and said, 1051 01:13:14,265 --> 01:13:18,311 -"What did they say, John?" -(ALL LAUGH) 1052 01:13:18,728 --> 01:13:21,522 People I was sittin' this mornin' With this on my mind 1053 01:13:22,315 --> 01:13:25,151 Said there ain't no livin' man who go Around the world three time 1054 01:13:25,484 --> 01:13:26,986 But John Glenn done it 1055 01:13:29,405 --> 01:13:30,406 Yes, he did 1056 01:13:30,489 --> 01:13:33,200 WOLFE: When John Glenn became the first American to go into Earth orbit, 1057 01:13:33,618 --> 01:13:35,202 there was a ticker tape parade for him. 1058 01:13:35,578 --> 01:13:40,333 The astronauts all remembered so vividly the sight of New York policemen 1059 01:13:40,416 --> 01:13:42,877 directing traffic in the intersections for this big parade, 1060 01:13:43,252 --> 01:13:45,796 crying, tears rolling down their cheeks. 1061 01:13:47,506 --> 01:13:49,300 And saying, you know, "We love you, Johnny," 1062 01:13:49,383 --> 01:13:51,969 to John Glenn, "We love you." And I think it was an emotional moment 1063 01:13:52,261 --> 01:13:55,389 in this country's history that has never been equal since then. 1064 01:13:55,473 --> 01:13:57,975 I don't think we've had a nationwide hero since John Glenn. 1065 01:13:58,059 --> 01:13:59,393 John Glenn said it 1066 01:13:59,977 --> 01:14:04,649 MALE VOICE: All I can say is that in my 72 years of life, I, uh, 1067 01:14:04,732 --> 01:14:07,234 never witnessed anything like this before. 1068 01:14:09,862 --> 01:14:13,824 Today, I know that I seem to be standing alone on this great platform... 1069 01:14:15,534 --> 01:14:17,370 just as I seemed to be alone in the cockpit 1070 01:14:17,453 --> 01:14:19,121 of the Friendship 7 spacecraft... 1071 01:14:20,456 --> 01:14:21,582 but I'm not. 1072 01:14:22,416 --> 01:14:26,337 There were with me then and with me now, thousands of Americans, 1073 01:14:26,420 --> 01:14:29,423 and many hundreds of citizens of many countries around the world. 1074 01:14:31,884 --> 01:14:34,971 As our knowledge of this universe in which we live increases, 1075 01:14:35,930 --> 01:14:38,975 may God grant us the wisdom and guidance to use it wisely. 1076 01:14:39,850 --> 01:14:44,605 -Thank you very much. -(APPLAUSE) 1077 01:14:51,946 --> 01:14:54,365 VON FREMD: This flight was just the end of the beginning. 1078 01:14:54,448 --> 01:14:57,535 It was the first American orbital flight, but by no means the last. 1079 01:14:58,285 --> 01:15:01,747 The next one on the schedule should come about 60 days from now. 1080 01:15:04,792 --> 01:15:09,171 REPORTER: Donald Slayton, known as Deke, was replaced by M. Scott Carpenter, 1081 01:15:09,338 --> 01:15:14,135 the next astronaut in line for orbit, because of mild heart palpitations. 1082 01:15:25,604 --> 01:15:26,772 (TAPE STARTS RECORDING) 1083 01:15:27,064 --> 01:15:29,692 WOLFE: Okay, repeat after me, I went to a wonderful party. 1084 01:15:29,859 --> 01:15:31,444 RENE: I went to a wonderful party. 1085 01:15:31,694 --> 01:15:35,114 -WOLFE: I must say the fun was intense. -RENE: I must say the fun was intense. 1086 01:15:35,239 --> 01:15:38,492 WOLFE: We all had to do what the people we knew would be doing 100 years hence. 1087 01:15:38,576 --> 01:15:42,663 RENE: We all had to do what the people we knew would all be doing 100 years hence. 1088 01:16:27,041 --> 01:16:29,424 RENE: Yeah, I asked. Mm-hmm. 1089 01:16:46,977 --> 01:16:48,979 WOLFE: After a while, Rene didn't know whether 1090 01:16:49,063 --> 01:16:51,273 it was her modest literary ambitions 1091 01:16:52,108 --> 01:16:56,028 or her resentment of the pat role of astronaut wife that made her do it. 1092 01:17:19,844 --> 01:17:22,972 After the earlier successes of Shepard, Grissom, and Glenn, 1093 01:17:23,222 --> 01:17:26,600 Scott Carpenter's mission seemed, in advance, almost routine. 1094 01:17:27,143 --> 01:17:29,645 Actually, it was our most ambitious challenge yet. 1095 01:17:30,020 --> 01:17:34,233 It required the pilot to do things we hadn't dared ask of his predecessors. 1096 01:17:34,358 --> 01:17:37,486 A larger degree of control and maneuvering the space capsule, 1097 01:17:37,778 --> 01:17:40,531 more tests to help measure the way things move in space, 1098 01:17:40,781 --> 01:17:42,992 and how they look to a man observing them. 1099 01:17:53,544 --> 01:17:57,423 REPORTER: Now, the astronaut's ready, and so is everything else. 1100 01:17:58,966 --> 01:18:03,262 LAUNCH STAFF: Ten, nine, eight, seven, six. 1101 01:18:03,679 --> 01:18:06,182 RENE: 1102 01:18:06,557 --> 01:18:10,644 LAUNCH STAFF: Zero, ignition. Liftoff. 1103 01:18:13,230 --> 01:18:15,983 LAUNCH STAFF: Liftoff. Liftoff. The clock has started. 1104 01:18:17,735 --> 01:18:20,404 -Roger. -CARPENTER: Loud and clear, Gus. 1105 01:18:20,779 --> 01:18:23,991 GRISSOM: Roger, Aurora 7. Standby for the time hack. 1106 01:18:24,074 --> 01:18:24,950 CARPENTER: Roger. 1107 01:18:30,456 --> 01:18:32,750 RENE: 1108 01:18:44,888 --> 01:18:46,639 (RENE LAUGHS) 1109 01:18:47,681 --> 01:18:48,933 WOLFE: 1110 01:18:49,016 --> 01:18:50,559 RENE: 1111 01:18:50,643 --> 01:18:52,186 WOLFE: Thorns. 1112 01:18:54,396 --> 01:18:55,773 GRISSOM: Roger, Aurora. 1113 01:18:58,275 --> 01:18:59,652 CARPENTER: Clear blue sky. 1114 01:19:28,305 --> 01:19:29,515 (SHUTTER CLICKS) 1115 01:19:30,391 --> 01:19:33,352 CARPENTER: 1116 01:19:33,727 --> 01:19:34,728 (SHUTTER CLICKS) 1117 01:19:34,812 --> 01:19:39,094 CARPENTER: 1118 01:19:56,875 --> 01:19:58,460 CAPCOM: 1119 01:19:58,794 --> 01:20:00,713 CARPENTER: 1120 01:20:05,467 --> 01:20:06,677 CAPCOM: 1121 01:20:07,177 --> 01:20:09,513 CARPENTER: 1122 01:20:13,475 --> 01:20:15,060 CAPCOM: 1123 01:20:15,185 --> 01:20:16,228 CARPENTER: 1124 01:20:18,022 --> 01:20:20,024 CRONKITE: The crowds at Grand Central New York 1125 01:20:20,482 --> 01:20:21,859 and around the United States... 1126 01:20:23,235 --> 01:20:25,404 wait prayerfully for this moment, here's Powers. 1127 01:20:25,821 --> 01:20:29,450 POWERS: Our data at this time indicates that it is distinctly possible that 1128 01:20:29,533 --> 01:20:31,952 the Aurora 7 spacecraft may land 1129 01:20:32,036 --> 01:20:35,122 considerably longer down range than it was planned. 1130 01:20:35,873 --> 01:20:41,128 Our present estimate of his landing point may go as far as 200 miles down range. 1131 01:20:44,298 --> 01:20:46,592 WOLFE: Cronkite had been explaining Scott's fuel problem 1132 01:20:46,717 --> 01:20:48,218 as he entered the atmosphere, 1133 01:20:48,761 --> 01:20:52,639 then Cronkite's voice began to take on more and more concern. 1134 01:20:53,390 --> 01:20:58,187 We have a very, even more disturbing report it seems to this reporter here 1135 01:20:58,270 --> 01:21:00,439 from NASA, from space authorities. 1136 01:21:01,023 --> 01:21:04,651 They say they did not pick up any radar blips 1137 01:21:05,361 --> 01:21:08,280 from the descending spacecraft. 1138 01:21:09,698 --> 01:21:14,453 It almost begs for interpretation as to what that could mean. 1139 01:21:34,807 --> 01:21:40,396 There has not even been radar contact with the Aurora 7 since the last contact 1140 01:21:40,479 --> 01:21:42,606 with, uh, Scott Carpenter by voice, 1141 01:21:43,065 --> 01:21:46,735 which was back when he announced his G forces building 1142 01:21:47,111 --> 01:21:49,071 for the reentry into the atmosphere. 1143 01:21:50,114 --> 01:21:53,283 This is the worst chore this reporter ever went through, 1144 01:21:54,118 --> 01:21:57,496 trying to fill time when there is nothing to say, except wait. 1145 01:22:14,555 --> 01:22:17,683 Uh, it would seem that even 200 miles would not be too far to pick up 1146 01:22:17,766 --> 01:22:19,268 a radar signal. 1147 01:22:27,151 --> 01:22:28,861 (ENGINE REVVING) 1148 01:22:29,069 --> 01:22:32,781 POWERS: A US Navy P2V aircraft in the landing area 1149 01:22:32,865 --> 01:22:35,033 -has received an electronic contact. -(BEEPING) 1150 01:22:38,871 --> 01:22:40,080 RENE: 1151 01:22:51,633 --> 01:22:54,011 POWERS: We do not have any further details at this time, 1152 01:22:54,094 --> 01:22:56,847 except now diverting his aircraft into that immediate area. 1153 01:22:57,598 --> 01:23:01,852 CRONKITE: Let's go now to Joe Campbell, who is aboard the USS Intrepid. 1154 01:23:01,935 --> 01:23:04,688 CAMPBELL: Well, we've just received a happy word that one of the ships' 1155 01:23:04,813 --> 01:23:06,315 own jet helicopters, 1156 01:23:06,607 --> 01:23:08,692 which has been speeding to the scene of impact, 1157 01:23:09,026 --> 01:23:13,530 has just affected rescue of astronaut Scott Carpenter, 1158 01:23:13,655 --> 01:23:16,366 and is now proceeding towards the Intrepid. 1159 01:23:20,662 --> 01:23:23,999 -CRONKITE: Oh, boy. -(CHEERING) 1160 01:23:25,250 --> 01:23:28,253 CRONKITE: Well, that's the longest 45 minutes we've ever spent. 1161 01:23:29,463 --> 01:23:31,840 Scott Carpenter is out of the Atlantic Ocean. 1162 01:23:32,508 --> 01:23:36,803 After his four hours and 50 minutes in space, three hours on the Atlantic, 1163 01:23:36,887 --> 01:23:38,889 bobbing around in that small raft. 1164 01:23:43,018 --> 01:23:45,312 EDWARDS: Well, it started out like Buck Rogers, 1165 01:23:45,395 --> 01:23:48,482 and wound up like a condensed version of Robinson Crusoe. 1166 01:23:50,734 --> 01:23:54,279 News of Carpenter's recovery reached his wife Rene at Cocoa Beach, Florida, 1167 01:23:54,363 --> 01:23:56,782 -the site of space program headquarters. -RENE: I want to say... 1168 01:23:58,825 --> 01:23:59,743 that... 1169 01:24:00,911 --> 01:24:04,248 the effort... involved... 1170 01:24:05,499 --> 01:24:10,837 in one of these missions... is such that... 1171 01:24:13,882 --> 01:24:19,137 at the end, we often feel... emotionally drained... 1172 01:24:21,223 --> 01:24:24,935 and we tend to fall back on... 1173 01:24:27,312 --> 01:24:29,147 the comfortable phrases... 1174 01:24:31,733 --> 01:24:36,822 and words like "happy," "proud," "thrilled, " 1175 01:24:38,031 --> 01:24:39,533 and we feel so much more. 1176 01:24:53,463 --> 01:24:59,136 I do want to say... that I know that this has been hard 1177 01:24:59,219 --> 01:25:03,807 for you not being able to have... the doorstep... 1178 01:25:05,350 --> 01:25:11,440 but the privacy that it afforded me was wonderful for me today. 1179 01:25:17,154 --> 01:25:19,531 I think it's thrilling. I stopped everything, and watched it, 1180 01:25:19,615 --> 01:25:22,284 and the baby was watching it, and she wanted to go too. 1181 01:25:22,409 --> 01:25:26,246 She's four years old, and she wanted to go on the trip with the, with the man. 1182 01:25:26,330 --> 01:25:28,957 And when his children and his wife were on, uh, 1183 01:25:30,000 --> 01:25:31,585 I thought it was real exciting. 1184 01:25:32,419 --> 01:25:35,213 I think everybody was more or less sitting on the edge 1185 01:25:35,297 --> 01:25:37,132 of their seats until they did find him. 1186 01:25:37,215 --> 01:25:40,927 I think it's wonderful. I think it's a great thing for this country! 1187 01:25:41,136 --> 01:25:43,430 And believe me, we're never going to be buried. 1188 01:25:55,442 --> 01:25:57,861 LAUNCH STAFF: Roger, Wally, you got anything to say to everyone 1189 01:25:57,944 --> 01:25:59,696 watching you across the country on this thing? 1190 01:25:59,780 --> 01:26:01,031 We're going out live on this. 1191 01:26:02,157 --> 01:26:04,284 SCHIRRA: I'm looking at the United States, 1192 01:26:04,993 --> 01:26:07,663 and starting to pitch up slightly with this drifting rate. 1193 01:26:08,246 --> 01:26:11,249 And I see the Moon, which I'm sure no one in the United States can see 1194 01:26:11,333 --> 01:26:12,751 as well as I right now. 1195 01:26:26,139 --> 01:26:29,768 CRONKITE: This flight's scheduled to be the last of the Mercury Program 1196 01:26:29,851 --> 01:26:32,729 before the Mercury Program ends, and we begin flights 1197 01:26:32,938 --> 01:26:35,399 in our two-man capsule, the Gemini. 1198 01:26:35,524 --> 01:26:39,361 The intermediate step before we go to Apollo, and the step to the Moon. 1199 01:26:43,323 --> 01:26:46,535 REPORTER: America's team of astronauts was increased to 16 today, 1200 01:26:48,078 --> 01:26:51,456 when The Manned Space Center at Houston, Texas named the men today. 1201 01:26:51,623 --> 01:26:55,252 It was specified that they will be trained for trips to the Moon. 1202 01:26:58,922 --> 01:27:00,173 We've had a number of these... 1203 01:27:01,007 --> 01:27:03,844 ceremonies at the White House and at Cape Canaveral to pay tribute 1204 01:27:04,711 --> 01:27:07,097 to a very distinguished group of Americans, who have in, 1205 01:27:07,431 --> 01:27:12,185 our time, in this rather civil society, demonstrated that there are... 1206 01:27:13,019 --> 01:27:14,980 great frontiers still to be crossed. 1207 01:27:15,605 --> 01:27:19,568 And in flying through space, they've carried with them the wishes, the prayers, 1208 01:27:19,693 --> 01:27:23,155 the hopes and the pride of 180 million of their fellow countrymen. 1209 01:27:26,450 --> 01:27:29,953 I hope that, uh, we will be encouraged to continue with this program. 1210 01:27:30,620 --> 01:27:33,039 I know that a good many people say, "Why go to the Moon?" 1211 01:27:33,373 --> 01:27:36,334 Just as many people said to Lindbergh, "Why go to Paris?" 1212 01:27:39,296 --> 01:27:42,424 Lindbergh said, "It's not so much a matter of logic as it is of feeling." 1213 01:27:47,304 --> 01:27:50,307 I think that the United States has committed itself to this great adventure 1214 01:27:50,390 --> 01:27:53,977 in the '60s. I think before the end of the '60s, we will see a man 1215 01:27:54,060 --> 01:27:55,479 on the Moon, an American. 1216 01:27:55,854 --> 01:27:59,024 And I think in so doing, it's not nearly that we're interested in making 1217 01:27:59,107 --> 01:28:02,611 this particular journey, but we are interested in demonstrating 1218 01:28:02,736 --> 01:28:04,946 a dominance of this new sea, 1219 01:28:05,572 --> 01:28:08,742 and making sure that in this new great adventurous period, 1220 01:28:09,242 --> 01:28:13,288 that the Americans are playing their great role as they have in the past. 1221 01:28:14,915 --> 01:28:17,292 (DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING) 1222 01:28:33,433 --> 01:28:35,727 (SOFT MUSIC PLAYING)