1
00:00:04,108 --> 00:00:06,528
ANNOUNCER: The Shirley Temple program
usually seen at this time
2
00:00:06,653 --> 00:00:07,779
will not be presented
3
00:00:07,946 --> 00:00:10,490
in order that we may bring
you the following special broadcast.
4
00:00:11,115 --> 00:00:12,825
We have interrupted this program
5
00:00:12,951 --> 00:00:15,328
for a special broadcast
from Cape Canaveral.
6
00:00:16,037 --> 00:00:21,042
RENICK: May 5th, 1961, certainly a day
to be entered in the history books.
7
00:00:21,668 --> 00:00:25,338
Although the astronaut launch
is being seen close up
8
00:00:25,421 --> 00:00:27,507
and live on television screens,
9
00:00:28,049 --> 00:00:31,844
hundreds of persons traveled
to Cocoa Beach to see with their own eyes
10
00:00:31,928 --> 00:00:36,474
at long distance, the streak of flame
as the Redstone heads skyward.
11
00:00:44,065 --> 00:00:46,484
CRONKITE: I don't know any words
for this except the trite ones.
12
00:00:46,776 --> 00:00:49,070
Tension is mounting here
at Cape Canaveral.
13
00:00:50,196 --> 00:00:52,282
RENICK: The world watches with interest.
14
00:00:52,574 --> 00:00:56,828
The public has no trouble feeling concern
for the man who lies on his back
15
00:00:57,120 --> 00:00:59,205
at the nose end of a Redstone missile.
16
00:00:59,497 --> 00:01:02,875
Somehow, this doesn't seem to be the place
for a human being.
17
00:01:05,920 --> 00:01:09,173
GLENN: We're looking at this as
eventually a big exploration.
18
00:01:09,424 --> 00:01:11,175
We hope to lay the foundation
19
00:01:11,509 --> 00:01:14,429
for much broader exploration
in the future.
20
00:01:16,848 --> 00:01:19,350
MCGEE: I'm sure you've given some thought
to the possibility that
21
00:01:19,434 --> 00:01:22,103
this flight may not turn out well
and that you may not come back.
22
00:01:25,773 --> 00:01:28,568
TROUT: One man, backed up
by a team of 10,000,
23
00:01:28,943 --> 00:01:32,280
backed up by the most elaborate devices
that science can invent.
24
00:01:35,158 --> 00:01:39,954
But still, one man, alone, in a tiny shell
on top of a rocket.
25
00:01:51,090 --> 00:01:54,719
When we asked NASA for some pictures
of the original American astronauts,
26
00:01:54,844 --> 00:01:58,139
John Glenn and the six others chosen
in 1959 for Project Mercury,
27
00:01:58,222 --> 00:01:59,223
look what we got.
28
00:02:00,475 --> 00:02:03,019
The Seven in their spacesuits
as formal as a class picture
29
00:02:03,102 --> 00:02:04,437
or a management training group.
30
00:02:05,104 --> 00:02:08,232
But these, too, are the men
who are going to fly off into space
31
00:02:08,316 --> 00:02:10,943
and catch us up with the Russians
and win the Cold War
32
00:02:11,027 --> 00:02:14,155
against Sputnik with their hair down
and their burnouses up
33
00:02:14,238 --> 00:02:16,741
after four days of survival training
in the desert.
34
00:02:20,411 --> 00:02:21,454
What were the astronauts?
35
00:02:22,455 --> 00:02:26,709
Tall in-the-capsule superheroes
or just a bunch of regular fighter jocks?
36
00:02:30,421 --> 00:02:34,300
Well, writer Tom Wolfe has spent a number
of years now looking into their story
37
00:02:34,384 --> 00:02:37,261
and he has written it into a book called,
The Right Stuff.
38
00:02:39,013 --> 00:02:41,974
It's not the kind of story that we heard
at the time from the space managers
39
00:02:42,058 --> 00:02:44,686
and from the politicians,
or even from the American press.
40
00:02:46,979 --> 00:02:48,606
Tom Wolfe, nice to have you
with us this morning.
41
00:02:48,690 --> 00:02:51,192
-Tom, good to see you.
-Uh, were we in need of heroes
42
00:02:51,275 --> 00:02:52,652
when these astronauts came along?
43
00:02:52,735 --> 00:02:56,698
Is that why we were so eager
to build them up into kind of false gods?
44
00:02:56,989 --> 00:03:01,661
Right now, it's so hard to remember
what a... how seriously the Cold War
45
00:03:01,744 --> 00:03:04,122
was taken back in the... in the late '50s.
46
00:03:16,551 --> 00:03:21,305
(COUNTDOWN IN RUSSIAN)
47
00:03:21,514 --> 00:03:23,307
(SPUTNIK LAUNCHES)
48
00:03:24,308 --> 00:03:27,478
You are the first Americans
to see this launching of Sputnik 1
49
00:03:28,146 --> 00:03:31,399
from the desert of Kyzylkum,
in the Soviet Union.
50
00:03:33,109 --> 00:03:34,235
("NAME THAT TUNE" THEME MUSIC PLAYS)
51
00:03:34,318 --> 00:03:37,196
DEWITT: And now back tonight and trying
for 20,000 dollars are Eddie Hodges,
52
00:03:37,280 --> 00:03:40,283
the ten-year-old schoolboy,
and his partner, Major John Glenn, Jr.,
53
00:03:40,366 --> 00:03:41,617
the Marine Corps jet pilot.
54
00:03:41,701 --> 00:03:44,120
Uh, what do you think
of the Russian satellite,
55
00:03:44,203 --> 00:03:47,707
which is circling the earth
at 18,000 miles per hour?
56
00:03:48,124 --> 00:03:51,377
It's the first time anybody has ever been
able to get anything out that far
57
00:03:51,461 --> 00:03:54,005
in space and keep it there
for any length of time.
58
00:03:54,172 --> 00:03:58,676
And this is probably the first step
toward space travel or moon travel,
59
00:03:58,760 --> 00:04:01,554
something we'll probably run into
maybe in Eddie's lifetime here at least.
60
00:04:01,637 --> 00:04:04,223
DEWITT: (CHUCKLES) Eddie, would you like
to take a trip to the moon?
61
00:04:04,307 --> 00:04:06,058
No, sir, I like it fine right here.
62
00:04:06,142 --> 00:04:07,643
(AUDIENCE LAUGHS)
63
00:04:16,110 --> 00:04:18,613
REPORTER: Democrat Senator Jackson
of Washington describes
64
00:04:18,696 --> 00:04:22,867
the Russian achievement as a devastating
blow to the prestige of The United States.
65
00:04:23,159 --> 00:04:26,621
As the satellite travels around the world
once every hour and a half,
66
00:04:26,788 --> 00:04:29,540
its radio transmitters,
powered by chemical batteries,
67
00:04:29,665 --> 00:04:32,835
that are apparently sending back
coded messages to the Russians.
68
00:04:33,628 --> 00:04:35,379
(RAPID FREQUENCIES)
69
00:04:36,339 --> 00:04:38,591
REPORTER: The White House sizes
up the situation this way,
70
00:04:38,674 --> 00:04:40,468
The launching of Russia's
and the world's first
71
00:04:40,676 --> 00:04:45,515
artificial moon is of great scientific
interest but comes as no surprise.
72
00:04:46,098 --> 00:04:48,518
REPORTER: General, are you awed
by the Russian accomplishment
73
00:04:48,601 --> 00:04:49,602
with this big Sputnik?
74
00:04:49,685 --> 00:04:52,146
MEDARIS: You're only awed
by the things that you don't understand
75
00:04:52,230 --> 00:04:53,856
or don't believe someone can do.
76
00:04:54,273 --> 00:04:56,859
REPORTER: In other words, we know what
they had to know to do this?
77
00:04:57,318 --> 00:04:59,529
-Certainly, we know it.
-REPORTER: Why haven't we done it?
78
00:04:59,987 --> 00:05:01,364
Well, we got started late.
79
00:05:01,697 --> 00:05:04,075
We didn't get about the job
as early as we might have.
80
00:05:04,408 --> 00:05:06,661
Now we have to work
like blazes to catch up.
81
00:05:09,413 --> 00:05:11,958
It means they're getting ahead of us
and we certainly need to...
82
00:05:12,041 --> 00:05:13,668
start working hard to catch up.
83
00:05:16,546 --> 00:05:19,465
I think it's about time America woke up
and did something about it.
84
00:05:21,217 --> 00:05:25,179
There was a sense in this country
that it was all important...
85
00:05:25,304 --> 00:05:27,306
to catch up with the Russians in space.
86
00:05:27,640 --> 00:05:30,393
John McCormick, who was then the Speaker
of the House of Representatives,
87
00:05:30,476 --> 00:05:32,520
was getting up and saying
we face national extinction
88
00:05:32,603 --> 00:05:34,313
if we do not catch up with the Russians.
89
00:05:44,198 --> 00:05:48,077
WALLACE: In desperation, the United States
looked to the Vanguard.
90
00:05:51,247 --> 00:05:54,292
Nearly 200 newsmen
from all over the world were flown down
91
00:05:54,375 --> 00:05:55,459
for the big turkey shoot.
92
00:05:57,211 --> 00:05:59,797
At the launching site, they were given
a play-by-play account.
93
00:06:00,506 --> 00:06:04,260
They witnessed each tiny detail
of the usually top-secret preparation.
94
00:06:05,136 --> 00:06:08,848
And inside the block house,
the tension steadily mounted.
95
00:06:15,563 --> 00:06:19,233
(ROCKET BLAST)
96
00:06:19,692 --> 00:06:24,155
(EXPLOSION)
97
00:06:28,659 --> 00:06:32,997
WALLACE: America's prestige had
never been lower than at this moment,
98
00:06:33,164 --> 00:06:38,586
11:45 a.m., December 6, 1957.
99
00:06:44,467 --> 00:06:50,514
There is a tremendous gap
between promise and performance.
100
00:06:51,432 --> 00:06:54,477
I believe the American people
want action...
101
00:06:55,353 --> 00:06:57,146
(EXPLOSION)
102
00:06:58,439 --> 00:07:01,651
JOHNSON: ...and are demanding that
we get going with our program.
103
00:07:10,076 --> 00:07:12,876
Public opinion in the civilized world
has grown accustomed to
104
00:07:12,951 --> 00:07:14,789
fast scientific progress.
105
00:07:14,914 --> 00:07:18,876
Already, the idea of Sputnik whirling
through space has become accepted
106
00:07:18,960 --> 00:07:23,172
and people are saying, "What comes next?
What comes after Sputnik? After Vanguard?"
107
00:07:23,589 --> 00:07:28,427
Well, the next step has been planned
for a long time. It is a manned satellite.
108
00:07:40,356 --> 00:07:43,359
WOLFE: Catch up on all fronts.
That was the imperative.
109
00:07:43,776 --> 00:07:47,989
So a so-called quick and dirty approach
was seized upon.
110
00:07:48,906 --> 00:07:51,283
They would try to launch not a flying ship
111
00:07:51,617 --> 00:07:56,330
but a pod, a container,
a capsule... with a man in it.
112
00:07:58,624 --> 00:08:00,126
The man would not be a pilot.
113
00:08:01,085 --> 00:08:02,753
He would be a human cannonball.
114
00:08:03,629 --> 00:08:07,299
He would not be able to alter the course
of the capsule in the slightest.
115
00:08:08,342 --> 00:08:10,845
The job was assigned to NACA,
116
00:08:11,220 --> 00:08:13,848
the National Advisory Committee
for Aeronautics,
117
00:08:15,016 --> 00:08:17,393
which was converted into NASA.
118
00:08:21,188 --> 00:08:23,816
We will be developing and launching
into space,
119
00:08:24,400 --> 00:08:29,196
vehicles needed to obtain scientific data
and to explore the solar system.
120
00:08:31,115 --> 00:08:33,784
N.A.S.A. will have
about 300 million dollars
121
00:08:33,909 --> 00:08:36,579
for its program in fiscal 1959,
122
00:08:37,413 --> 00:08:40,166
and with this appropriation,
we must press forward
123
00:08:40,332 --> 00:08:42,376
the current research programs
in our laboratories.
124
00:08:43,419 --> 00:08:48,090
We must contract for work by others
in such fields as electronics and guidance
125
00:08:48,507 --> 00:08:51,343
and other areas where we have
neither the special competence,
126
00:08:52,219 --> 00:08:53,721
nor the facilities that are needed.
127
00:08:54,555 --> 00:08:56,766
We must accelerate
our development programs.
128
00:08:58,768 --> 00:09:02,438
We must acquire the vehicles that
will carry our data-gathering apparatus,
129
00:09:02,897 --> 00:09:05,733
and ultimately man, into space.
130
00:09:15,659 --> 00:09:18,245
The program to pick the
first man to American to try to pilot
131
00:09:18,329 --> 00:09:20,539
a rocket into orbit in space has begun.
132
00:09:20,873 --> 00:09:23,542
U.S. space chief T. Keith Glennan
announced tonight
133
00:09:23,626 --> 00:09:27,088
the American manned satellite program
will be called Project Mercury,
134
00:09:27,838 --> 00:09:30,299
its pilots will be known as
Mercury Aeronauts,
135
00:09:30,382 --> 00:09:32,093
and one of their number, all volunteers,
136
00:09:32,218 --> 00:09:33,594
will make the first spaceflight.
137
00:09:35,304 --> 00:09:38,057
Two months before the astronauts
were chosen they were still considering
138
00:09:38,231 --> 00:09:41,526
using racing car drivers,
mountain climbers, scuba divers,
139
00:09:41,977 --> 00:09:45,981
infantry men, anybody who had faced
stress and dangerous situations
140
00:09:46,065 --> 00:09:48,609
successfully would be allowed
to apply for astronaut
141
00:09:48,734 --> 00:09:50,361
because there wasn't any flying
to be done.
142
00:09:52,780 --> 00:09:56,117
Finally, Eisenhower decided,
"Well, hell, we've got 500 test pilots
143
00:09:56,242 --> 00:09:59,161
"in the military. We can call them
to Washington tomorrow."
144
00:10:00,871 --> 00:10:03,374
So let's get them from this
group of people we can totally control
145
00:10:03,499 --> 00:10:04,625
and get on with it.
146
00:10:05,835 --> 00:10:07,419
So they bring in these test pilots.
147
00:10:11,423 --> 00:10:14,593
KRAMER: From all of the active duty pilots
in the Navy, Marines, and Air Force,
148
00:10:15,261 --> 00:10:19,390
the service records of 473 test pilots
were selected for review.
149
00:10:20,599 --> 00:10:23,185
110 met the basic qualifications.
150
00:10:25,062 --> 00:10:29,984
The Right Stuff is both
a code of behavior and a mystical belief.
151
00:10:31,068 --> 00:10:35,239
As test pilots, you have to be willing
to go up and hang your mortal hide out
152
00:10:35,322 --> 00:10:39,034
over the edge and then have the experience
and the moxie and the talent
153
00:10:39,118 --> 00:10:41,328
to pull it back in,
and then go up the next day
154
00:10:41,412 --> 00:10:43,372
and the next day and the next day
and the next day, even,
155
00:10:43,455 --> 00:10:45,166
uh, the series is infinite.
156
00:10:51,463 --> 00:10:55,968
(CRASH AND EXPLOSION)
157
00:11:00,806 --> 00:11:03,726
NASA OFFICIAL:
Phase two of the selection program
158
00:11:04,059 --> 00:11:07,438
was a very thorough physical examination.
159
00:11:08,647 --> 00:11:11,775
And the men continued on
to the third phase.
160
00:11:12,193 --> 00:11:17,156
This phase involved exposure
to the acceleration, lowered pressure,
161
00:11:17,364 --> 00:11:21,619
noise, and other stresses expected
in space flight.
162
00:11:26,248 --> 00:11:29,585
WRIGHT: At a Washington news conference,
officials introduced seven carefully
163
00:11:29,710 --> 00:11:33,839
chosen military test pilots
as America's first spacemen.
164
00:11:38,385 --> 00:11:40,221
REPORTER:
How are the kids' appetites tonight?
165
00:11:40,721 --> 00:11:42,264
Probably pretty good.
166
00:11:43,224 --> 00:11:45,226
REPORTER: Better than usual
or worse than usual?
167
00:11:45,434 --> 00:11:48,646
Well, probably a little bit, uh, they'll,
uh, be too excited.
168
00:11:48,771 --> 00:11:51,190
Maybe they won't eat
as much as they usually do.
169
00:11:52,066 --> 00:11:55,277
REPORTER: Well, this is supposed
to have been a very tightly kept secret.
170
00:11:55,402 --> 00:11:57,780
How... how did you begin
to suspect something?
171
00:11:58,364 --> 00:12:00,157
Well, listening to the news.
172
00:12:00,824 --> 00:12:04,119
MCCORMICK: Well, all seven of the men
are officers and test pilots.
173
00:12:04,203 --> 00:12:07,915
Three Air Force, three Navy,
and one Marine. All are volunteers.
174
00:12:08,290 --> 00:12:10,960
Doctor T. Keith Glennan,
National Aeronautical
175
00:12:11,043 --> 00:12:15,172
and Space administrator introduced
them this afternoon at a news conference.
176
00:12:15,756 --> 00:12:20,844
Which of these men will be first
to orbit the Earth, I cannot tell you.
177
00:12:21,804 --> 00:12:24,515
He won't know himself
until the day of the flight.
178
00:12:26,016 --> 00:12:28,602
It's my pleasure to introduce... to you,
179
00:12:28,894 --> 00:12:31,313
and I consider it a very real honor,
gentlemen...
180
00:12:32,731 --> 00:12:35,901
from your right, Malcolm S. Carpenter,
181
00:12:37,403 --> 00:12:41,782
Leroy G. Cooper, John H. Glenn,
182
00:12:42,825 --> 00:12:44,201
Virgil I. Grissom,
183
00:12:45,828 --> 00:12:47,413
Walter M. Schirra,
184
00:12:49,373 --> 00:12:54,295
Alan B. Shepard, Donald K. Slayton.
185
00:12:56,088 --> 00:13:00,801
These, ladies, and gentlemen,
are the nation's Mercury astronauts.
186
00:13:01,010 --> 00:13:06,015
(APPLAUSE)
187
00:13:06,473 --> 00:13:10,352
The question everybody wants to ask,
"What do the wives and children
188
00:13:10,436 --> 00:13:13,355
"of these men think of their ambitions
to go into space?"
189
00:13:13,814 --> 00:13:16,317
My wife's attitude toward this
has been the same as it has been
190
00:13:16,400 --> 00:13:18,610
all along through all my flying,
that, uh...
191
00:13:18,902 --> 00:13:21,697
if it's what I want to do
and she's behind it
192
00:13:21,780 --> 00:13:23,282
and the kids are, too, a 100 percent.
193
00:13:25,075 --> 00:13:27,703
Well, my wife feels the same way or,
of course, I couldn't be here.
194
00:13:28,662 --> 00:13:32,583
And she's, uh, with me all the way
and the boys are too little to, uh,
195
00:13:33,042 --> 00:13:35,586
realize what's going on yet,
but I'm sure they'd feel the same way.
196
00:13:36,295 --> 00:13:40,215
My wife has agreed that professional
opinions are mine, career's mine,
197
00:13:40,716 --> 00:13:42,384
but we also have to have a family life
198
00:13:42,468 --> 00:13:44,470
that we like and this is part
of the agreement.
199
00:13:45,137 --> 00:13:47,806
I have no problems at home.
My family's in complete agreement.
200
00:13:48,599 --> 00:13:51,810
(ALL LAUGH)
201
00:13:54,021 --> 00:13:56,315
John Glenn was actually
unique among the seven
202
00:13:56,398 --> 00:13:57,649
in terms of his personality.
203
00:13:57,983 --> 00:14:00,652
I'm John Glenn,
I'm the lonesome Marine on this outfit
204
00:14:00,819 --> 00:14:04,948
and I'm, uh, 37. I, jokingly, uh,
of course, said that, uh,
205
00:14:05,032 --> 00:14:07,242
I got on this project
because it'd probably be the nearest
206
00:14:07,326 --> 00:14:09,912
to heaven I'd ever get, and I wanted
to make the most of it.
207
00:14:10,079 --> 00:14:11,538
-(ALL LAUGH)
-But, uh...
208
00:14:11,789 --> 00:14:16,126
my feelings are that this whole project
with regard to... to space sort of stands
209
00:14:16,293 --> 00:14:18,962
with us now as... as if you wanna look
at it one way,
210
00:14:19,046 --> 00:14:21,757
like the Wright brothers stood
at Kitty Hawk about 50 years ago.
211
00:14:22,633 --> 00:14:24,885
WOLFE: At the very first press conference
John Glenn proved
212
00:14:24,968 --> 00:14:27,137
to be the most articulate of the seven.
213
00:14:27,221 --> 00:14:29,681
My wife made a remark the other day,
I've been out of this world
214
00:14:29,765 --> 00:14:31,725
for a long time I might as well
go on out there.
215
00:14:31,809 --> 00:14:32,851
(ALL LAUGH)
216
00:14:33,936 --> 00:14:35,312
GLENNAN: Next question, please.
217
00:14:35,979 --> 00:14:39,191
WOLFE: He had a kind of countrified
sophistication, if you will,
218
00:14:39,525 --> 00:14:43,737
and he had a great freckle-faced smile
and was just great at handling
219
00:14:44,029 --> 00:14:45,614
what we now call the media.
220
00:14:46,323 --> 00:14:51,078
GLENNAN: The question is, "Would the, uh,
gentlemen, uh, like to, uh...
221
00:14:51,912 --> 00:14:55,457
"say which, which test, uh,
they liked least?"
222
00:14:57,209 --> 00:14:58,252
(ALL LAUGH)
223
00:14:58,377 --> 00:15:00,671
Johnny Glenn, uh, you... you answer
224
00:15:00,754 --> 00:15:03,257
and then we'll start this way
and around that way.
225
00:15:03,966 --> 00:15:06,677
That's a real tough one
because we had some pretty good tests,
226
00:15:06,760 --> 00:15:10,722
but I... I think, uh, it's rather
difficult to pick one, because if the...
227
00:15:10,889 --> 00:15:13,308
if you figure how many openings
there are on the human body
228
00:15:13,392 --> 00:15:15,436
and how far you can go in any one of them.
229
00:15:15,519 --> 00:15:18,480
(ALL LAUGH)
230
00:15:18,647 --> 00:15:22,317
-SCHIRRA: You gave it away.
-(LAUGHTER CONTINUES)
231
00:15:22,734 --> 00:15:26,363
Now... Now ,you answer which one would
be the toughest for you.
232
00:15:26,488 --> 00:15:29,366
(ALL LAUGH)
233
00:15:32,870 --> 00:15:35,539
WOLFE: So, after this one man, Glenn,
who's so articulate starts
234
00:15:35,622 --> 00:15:38,500
saying all these things about God,
country, family, all the rest,
235
00:15:38,625 --> 00:15:41,920
immediately there's the picture
of seven astronauts
236
00:15:42,004 --> 00:15:46,133
as these sort of God-fearing,
small town family men.
237
00:15:47,259 --> 00:15:48,677
And the rest of them were stuck with it.
238
00:15:48,760 --> 00:15:51,054
They either had a choice
of raising their hands and saying,
239
00:15:51,138 --> 00:15:53,015
"Now wait a minute, I...
I don't really go on with that,
240
00:15:53,098 --> 00:15:54,933
"I don't think you have
to be all that faithful to your wife
241
00:15:55,017 --> 00:15:56,477
"and your children and the church,"
242
00:15:56,560 --> 00:16:00,272
or else doing the wise thing
and saying, "Me, too."
243
00:16:01,064 --> 00:16:03,233
I'm not real active in the church as, uh,
244
00:16:03,317 --> 00:16:06,737
Mr. Glenn is, but, uh, I consider myself
a good Christian still.
245
00:16:07,654 --> 00:16:11,283
REPORTER: Mrs. Grissom,
did you have any indication that
246
00:16:11,533 --> 00:16:15,287
-anything was going on before today?
-I had a pretty good idea.
247
00:16:16,538 --> 00:16:19,500
REPORTER: Have you had time to decide
how you feel about it?
248
00:16:21,001 --> 00:16:23,337
Well, I don't know yet.
249
00:16:34,181 --> 00:16:35,557
REPORTER: Have the kids
in the neighborhood
250
00:16:35,641 --> 00:16:36,934
been asking you about this?
251
00:16:38,310 --> 00:16:41,730
No, not yet, but my teacher called
a little while ago and...
252
00:16:42,689 --> 00:16:44,900
and she said congratulations.
253
00:16:45,943 --> 00:16:48,570
REPORTER: Do you think this is gonna
make you a big man around town?
254
00:16:48,654 --> 00:16:50,322
SCOTT: Mm-hmm. (LAUGHS)
255
00:16:51,240 --> 00:16:54,618
REPORTER: How does the wife
of a spaceman feel about the possibility
256
00:16:54,701 --> 00:16:55,786
of so great an adventure?
257
00:16:56,328 --> 00:16:59,748
Well, we're not oblivious
to the dangers involved,
258
00:17:00,123 --> 00:17:04,795
but, uh, I would like to go along with him
if I could and so would the boys.
259
00:17:10,467 --> 00:17:13,053
WRIGHT: After rigorous training,
one of these men will ride
260
00:17:13,220 --> 00:17:17,641
a Project Mercury space capsule
around the Earth in a 125-mile high orbit
261
00:17:18,141 --> 00:17:21,019
before retro rockets slow the capsule
for a descent into the Atlantic.
262
00:17:24,314 --> 00:17:25,983
(FAN WHIRRING)
263
00:17:27,067 --> 00:17:30,279
Although the astronauts,
all test pilots, feel that space flight
264
00:17:30,362 --> 00:17:33,240
is no more than the next step
along a familiar path,
265
00:17:33,323 --> 00:17:35,742
most of us still think of it
as being unreal.
266
00:17:35,826 --> 00:17:36,827
(CAMERA CLICKS)
267
00:17:36,952 --> 00:17:40,998
But, in fact, it is reality catching up
with unreality.
268
00:17:42,040 --> 00:17:45,335
Cocoa Beach, Florida is home base
for those who fly rockets
269
00:17:45,460 --> 00:17:47,045
from adjoining Cape Canaveral.
270
00:17:47,379 --> 00:17:50,591
Ten years ago, only 246 people lived here,
271
00:17:50,716 --> 00:17:53,986
but now the glittering neon signs bear
testimony to the boom.
272
00:17:54,803 --> 00:17:57,931
Population has increased 1,312 percent.
273
00:17:59,099 --> 00:18:01,810
Everything here is space oriented.
274
00:18:04,521 --> 00:18:06,231
(MUSIC STARTS PLAYING)
275
00:18:09,568 --> 00:18:13,739
Here at Cape Canaveral
The astronauts are all ready
276
00:18:15,741 --> 00:18:19,494
They will pave the way
Into space for the USA
277
00:18:21,997 --> 00:18:25,751
They are guys with wives
Whose lives are just ordinary
278
00:18:28,337 --> 00:18:31,840
But will pave the way
As we say with JFK
279
00:18:34,635 --> 00:18:37,095
There's John Glenn, Grissom
And Shepard, too
280
00:18:37,638 --> 00:18:40,641
Astronauts who really have come through
281
00:18:40,932 --> 00:18:46,271
Slayton, Schirra, and Cooper passed
Carpenter's bongos are a blast off
282
00:18:46,521 --> 00:18:50,984
Let's all drink a toast to the men
The most in missiles
283
00:18:53,236 --> 00:18:59,409
And cheers to the man who's going out
In space, out in space
284
00:18:59,576 --> 00:19:03,497
Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four
Three, two, one
285
00:19:03,722 --> 00:19:08,769
Going out in space
286
00:19:22,015 --> 00:19:24,643
WHITE: We've tried to develop
what we call dynamic testing.
287
00:19:24,810 --> 00:19:25,894
MCGEE: What does that mean?
288
00:19:26,269 --> 00:19:28,605
WHITE: Well, in dynamic testing,
what we do is that we try
289
00:19:28,730 --> 00:19:33,360
to give the man a challenge,
which is applicable to the kind
290
00:19:33,443 --> 00:19:35,112
of stress loads that he would get
in flight.
291
00:19:35,237 --> 00:19:37,114
MCGEE: Get him as close as you can
to actually doing it?
292
00:19:37,197 --> 00:19:38,323
WHITE: That is correct.
293
00:19:39,783 --> 00:19:42,911
The whole idea of the training
was not to enable the astronaut
294
00:19:42,994 --> 00:19:45,539
to control and handle the machine
as other flight training.
295
00:19:46,915 --> 00:19:49,292
It was really to desensitize the astronaut
296
00:19:49,418 --> 00:19:51,753
to the terrors of what
he was gonna undertake.
297
00:20:01,471 --> 00:20:04,933
And there was a principle in psychology
that if you expose a man
298
00:20:05,100 --> 00:20:08,979
to a terrible type of event
in gradual stages,
299
00:20:10,230 --> 00:20:11,773
he can overcome the terror.
300
00:20:12,941 --> 00:20:15,777
We've had to think in terms
of certain stress loads.
301
00:20:15,861 --> 00:20:18,530
We know that the man, for example,
is going to be exposed
302
00:20:18,613 --> 00:20:22,534
to certain accelerations,
certain heat loads, certain vibrations,
303
00:20:22,617 --> 00:20:27,748
noise, certain psychic trauma, that, uh,
are just a part of doing these kind
304
00:20:27,831 --> 00:20:28,874
of new adventures.
305
00:20:29,958 --> 00:20:32,794
CAPCOM: ASGAR, this is Recovery 5.
306
00:20:33,003 --> 00:20:35,714
MCGEE: What you're hearing
is a simulation of the communications
307
00:20:35,797 --> 00:20:38,175
between the space capsule
and ground control.
308
00:20:38,300 --> 00:20:39,968
ASTRONAUT: Standing by
for impact and pickup.
309
00:20:40,051 --> 00:20:41,678
Does Recovery have me? Over.
310
00:20:42,679 --> 00:20:45,432
MCGEE: A less frightening exercise,
depending on how you look at it,
311
00:20:45,557 --> 00:20:47,642
is the underwater escape training.
312
00:20:54,775 --> 00:20:58,528
In their training, actually undergoing
these tests, which one do you feel
313
00:20:58,612 --> 00:21:00,655
puts them under the greatest strain?
314
00:21:01,239 --> 00:21:07,162
WHITE: I think the centrifuge program
is probably the best single stress load.
315
00:21:07,287 --> 00:21:11,750
This has come closest to being able
to superimpose all the flight stresses
316
00:21:11,833 --> 00:21:14,127
in one spot, simultaneously.
317
00:21:16,129 --> 00:21:18,548
(RAPID WHIRRING)
318
00:21:19,549 --> 00:21:22,093
GRISSOM: The centrifuge is like
a merry-go-round with one seat,
319
00:21:22,552 --> 00:21:25,305
one seat out on a long arm that swings
you around and around,
320
00:21:25,388 --> 00:21:27,849
faster and faster until they get
the G-level that they want.
321
00:21:29,684 --> 00:21:33,730
And we've gone as high as 18 Gs,
which means 18 times the pull of gravity.
322
00:21:37,400 --> 00:21:39,694
(RAPID WHIRRING INCREASES)
323
00:21:49,788 --> 00:21:55,085
(CHEERFUL MUSIC PLAYING)
324
00:21:56,086 --> 00:21:58,880
(CAMERA CLICKS)
325
00:21:59,756 --> 00:22:01,591
-Scene one, take one.
-(BOARD CLICKS)
326
00:22:04,928 --> 00:22:08,431
I am John Glenn, one of our astronauts
who is preparing
327
00:22:08,515 --> 00:22:11,101
for our first manned ballistic flights
into space.
328
00:22:12,394 --> 00:22:15,981
Naturally, all of us take a very deep
personal interest, needless to say,
329
00:22:16,064 --> 00:22:20,151
in the Mercury capsule here that one of us
will ride one of these days into space.
330
00:22:31,663 --> 00:22:34,916
WOLFE: LIFE Magazine decided
to buy the rights
331
00:22:35,041 --> 00:22:37,252
to the personal stories of the astronauts.
332
00:22:39,546 --> 00:22:41,631
And they paid what at the time
was a colossal sum,
333
00:22:41,715 --> 00:22:44,092
five hundred thousand dollars
for three years to the seven men.
334
00:22:44,217 --> 00:22:48,221
It came out to about 25 thousand dollars
per family per year for three years,
335
00:22:48,346 --> 00:22:50,265
and for families that were,
had been used to making
336
00:22:50,348 --> 00:22:52,183
eight or nine thousand
it was a lot of money.
337
00:22:54,019 --> 00:22:56,521
We knew there would be
a lot of press attention,
338
00:22:57,314 --> 00:23:02,319
but none of us realized that, uh,
we were going to lose anonymity.
339
00:23:02,777 --> 00:23:07,198
Time Life painted us as boy scouts
and we were all American heroes,
340
00:23:07,908 --> 00:23:09,451
and that was fine.
341
00:23:12,495 --> 00:23:14,122
NARRATOR: Here's Astronaut John Glenn.
342
00:23:14,497 --> 00:23:17,959
Hello, fellas, I'd like to talk to you
for a moment about adventure.
343
00:23:18,627 --> 00:23:20,170
Did you ever climb a mountain?
344
00:23:20,670 --> 00:23:21,880
Or land a trout?
345
00:23:22,547 --> 00:23:24,925
That's the kind of adventure
you have in the Boy Scouts.
346
00:23:25,175 --> 00:23:28,553
If you're looking for adventure, boys
347
00:23:28,637 --> 00:23:31,973
Come join the Scouts today
348
00:23:33,642 --> 00:23:36,436
MCGEE: Alan Shepard has a lively sense
of the ludicrous,
349
00:23:36,561 --> 00:23:38,438
which he keeps fairly well under control.
350
00:23:38,897 --> 00:23:41,149
But he would prefer to skirt
serious subjects.
351
00:23:41,483 --> 00:23:44,194
And in a group, is likely to make
the witty remark that
352
00:23:44,277 --> 00:23:47,405
turns conversation into a lighter vein.
353
00:23:47,739 --> 00:23:51,201
And if the technicians connected
with the training of the astronauts
354
00:23:51,326 --> 00:23:55,330
can be said to have a favorite, well,
their favorite appears to be Shepard.
355
00:23:58,833 --> 00:23:59,834
Okay.
356
00:23:59,918 --> 00:24:03,505
MCGEE: Each astronaut has several
meticulously fitted flight uniforms,
357
00:24:03,672 --> 00:24:07,008
which they prefer to have called
"pressure," not spacesuits.
358
00:24:08,134 --> 00:24:11,346
Shepard says it contributes more
to the astronauts' peace of mind
359
00:24:11,429 --> 00:24:14,391
to say they've been inflated
instead of blown up.
360
00:24:19,354 --> 00:24:22,190
Now when you fellas get together
among yourselves, what do you talk about?
361
00:24:22,357 --> 00:24:25,485
Well, we have... have very little
time off actually.
362
00:24:25,902 --> 00:24:29,698
Our attentions are focused pretty much
on the objectives of spaceflight.
363
00:24:30,323 --> 00:24:35,286
We do take a few moments
for such things as waterskiing
364
00:24:35,370 --> 00:24:37,455
-and... and playing golf.
-MCGEE: You like waterskiing?
365
00:24:37,539 --> 00:24:40,000
-Yes, I do.
-MCGEE: What about that, uh, Corvette,
366
00:24:40,083 --> 00:24:42,210
that white Corvette I've seen you drive,
you like that?
367
00:24:42,335 --> 00:24:43,837
Well, I do enjoy driving that, yeah.
368
00:24:43,920 --> 00:24:45,547
MCGEE: What... what do you
like most about it?
369
00:24:46,381 --> 00:24:48,967
SHEPARD: Well, it has a few little goodies
underneath the hood that
370
00:24:49,092 --> 00:24:51,553
-make it go faster than the ordinary car.
-MCGEE: Yeah.
371
00:24:54,347 --> 00:24:56,599
WOLFE: When I started looking
into the stories of the astronauts,
372
00:24:56,683 --> 00:24:59,394
they came from out of the world
of what they themselves
373
00:24:59,477 --> 00:25:00,937
-called the fighter jocks.
-BROKAW: Yeah.
374
00:25:01,021 --> 00:25:03,732
WOLFE: And the fighter jocks are
at the top
375
00:25:03,940 --> 00:25:06,401
-of the pyramid of flying in the military.
-BROKAW: Yeah.
376
00:25:06,484 --> 00:25:09,362
WOLFE: And these are people
who not only fly hard, they play hard,
377
00:25:09,571 --> 00:25:12,115
and also, they're justifiably away
from home a lot.
378
00:25:12,198 --> 00:25:13,908
-BROKAW: Mm-hmm.
-They're attractive to women,
379
00:25:13,992 --> 00:25:15,869
and this began to play a part
in their lives
380
00:25:15,952 --> 00:25:17,370
like the lives of every other
fighter jocks.
381
00:25:17,454 --> 00:25:20,081
Well, at one point the astronauts, I mean,
there were so many women around them
382
00:25:20,165 --> 00:25:23,001
at all times that John Glenn felt
compelled to say something
383
00:25:23,084 --> 00:25:25,295
to 'em about it. I mean,
this thing has gotten to be too public,
384
00:25:25,378 --> 00:25:27,213
is what he said at a meeting in San Diego.
385
00:25:39,601 --> 00:25:42,937
WOLFE: There was bound to arise conflict
between someone like, uh,
386
00:25:43,063 --> 00:25:45,398
Glenn on the one hand, and say
Alan Shepard on the other.
387
00:25:47,192 --> 00:25:48,902
So finally, there was a little showdown.
388
00:25:49,277 --> 00:25:52,906
It was out at the Kona Kai Hotel
on Shelter Island in San Diego.
389
00:25:55,950 --> 00:25:58,745
Now Glenn, I must say,
does not mind being a maverick.
390
00:25:59,412 --> 00:26:02,373
He thought that this playing around
with the cookies was getting out of hand.
391
00:26:03,541 --> 00:26:06,252
Cookies, as groupies were called
in those days,
392
00:26:07,212 --> 00:26:10,965
Glenn thought the time had come to deliver
a little lecture on the subject,
393
00:26:11,091 --> 00:26:15,178
so he started saying how he wasn't gonna
stand by and let other members
394
00:26:15,261 --> 00:26:18,389
of the group ruin the chance of a lifetime
by creating some scandal
395
00:26:18,473 --> 00:26:20,058
through playing around with these girls.
396
00:26:21,643 --> 00:26:25,146
The others could not believe that
one pilot, a peer among peers,
397
00:26:25,230 --> 00:26:27,482
was standing up
and giving this moral lecture.
398
00:26:27,607 --> 00:26:30,693
So, Alan Shepard, who was a very
different man from John Glenn,
399
00:26:30,777 --> 00:26:33,863
stood up and in his stern
and sort of icy commander,
400
00:26:34,114 --> 00:26:37,408
Naval Academy fashion, says,
"Listen, you're not gonna stand up
401
00:26:37,492 --> 00:26:40,078
"and tell me or anybody else
your view of morality."
402
00:26:43,790 --> 00:26:49,921
That scene was one of the things that
set off a real conflict between two camps.
403
00:26:50,463 --> 00:26:53,633
One camp was really John Glenn
and Scott Carpenter on one side,
404
00:26:53,716 --> 00:26:55,927
and the others basically agreed
with Shepard.
405
00:26:56,803 --> 00:27:00,473
He was saying, it is not for you,
as one of our peers,
406
00:27:00,640 --> 00:27:02,350
to tell us how we're going to act.
407
00:27:03,268 --> 00:27:05,186
And this became the rival position.
408
00:27:21,911 --> 00:27:25,665
REPORTER: From President to taxi driver,
every American is worried
409
00:27:25,874 --> 00:27:29,419
about Russia's lead in this race
to put man into space.
410
00:27:30,837 --> 00:27:34,132
We should do everything
possible to make any sacrifice
411
00:27:34,340 --> 00:27:36,301
to help our country get up there, too.
412
00:27:45,101 --> 00:27:47,604
REPORTER: The MR-2 craft will carry
a chimpanzee,
413
00:27:48,146 --> 00:27:51,983
specially trained for the mission
at Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico.
414
00:27:52,567 --> 00:27:55,153
The chimpanzees were kidnapped
in West Africa
415
00:27:55,278 --> 00:27:58,281
and they were trained to ride
in the Mercury capsule.
416
00:27:58,781 --> 00:28:01,034
And the training was really quite complex
417
00:28:01,242 --> 00:28:03,203
and started as soon as
astronaut training began.
418
00:28:03,912 --> 00:28:06,623
They even did some reading of a console,
the instrument panel.
419
00:28:07,040 --> 00:28:10,376
They were given symbols,
such as two circles and one triangle
420
00:28:10,460 --> 00:28:12,003
and they had to hit the triangle,
421
00:28:12,420 --> 00:28:15,423
the odd symbol,
in order not to get a shock.
422
00:28:17,175 --> 00:28:21,012
NARRATOR: The next decision,
which chimpanzee to send on the flight.
423
00:28:22,096 --> 00:28:24,891
Each of the candidates gets
a complete medical checkup.
424
00:28:25,558 --> 00:28:31,189
And the honor goes to an astrochimp
who was nicknamed, "Ham."
425
00:28:37,737 --> 00:28:39,822
This is Mercury-Redstone 2,
426
00:28:41,616 --> 00:28:46,788
MR-2, and Ham is on his way.
427
00:28:53,503 --> 00:28:58,091
Concern mounts, Ham's heartbeat
and respiration climb fast.
428
00:28:59,133 --> 00:29:01,678
The flight surgeon's eyes are glued
to his console,
429
00:29:02,470 --> 00:29:03,972
monitoring Ham's condition.
430
00:29:07,267 --> 00:29:09,394
(BEEPING)
431
00:29:09,560 --> 00:29:11,312
REPORTER:
The Flight Surgeon watches the monitors,
432
00:29:11,646 --> 00:29:13,481
and now Ham is doing better.
433
00:29:14,941 --> 00:29:18,486
MR-2 is up over the top
and reentry begins.
434
00:29:24,242 --> 00:29:26,494
The spacecraft is spotted from the air.
435
00:29:41,676 --> 00:29:42,760
Ham is fine.
436
00:29:46,139 --> 00:29:52,186
MR-2 was a significant milestone
on the highway to man's flight into space.
437
00:29:53,187 --> 00:29:57,817
And the evidence is a live,
space experienced, chimpanzee.
438
00:30:14,500 --> 00:30:17,378
The Soviets never would identify
the leader of their space program.
439
00:30:17,462 --> 00:30:18,963
They always called him,
"The Chief Designer."
440
00:30:19,047 --> 00:30:21,966
And Khrushchev would always say that
they couldn't possibly identify him
441
00:30:22,050 --> 00:30:25,595
because the enemy agents
would seek him out and kill him.
442
00:30:26,054 --> 00:30:29,057
And the real reason was
the man, his name was Sergei Korolev,
443
00:30:29,682 --> 00:30:32,060
he had been a political prisoner
for ten years.
444
00:30:32,143 --> 00:30:33,811
He was an ex-con in the Soviet Union.
445
00:30:34,145 --> 00:30:37,315
They couldn't admit an ex-con
was running their space program.
446
00:30:37,690 --> 00:30:40,318
It was presumed that the Soviets...
447
00:30:41,069 --> 00:30:43,029
had somehow come up
with a whole generation
448
00:30:43,321 --> 00:30:47,325
of super scientists who could
churn out these incredible space vehicles.
449
00:30:47,408 --> 00:30:50,703
In fact, there was this one man,
this one genius named Korolev
450
00:30:50,787 --> 00:30:52,246
who had always been considered a nut.
451
00:31:12,975 --> 00:31:16,854
COLLINGWOOD: Twenty-five thousand miles,
17,000 miles an hour,
452
00:31:17,397 --> 00:31:19,816
nobody else has ever done
anything like it.
453
00:31:20,400 --> 00:31:21,609
This vehicle,
454
00:31:21,776 --> 00:31:25,321
a machine that until today was only a term
in the vocabulary of fiction,
455
00:31:25,738 --> 00:31:26,823
it was a spaceship.
456
00:31:28,199 --> 00:31:31,828
The spaceship was built in Russia,
the takeoff and the landing
457
00:31:32,036 --> 00:31:33,204
somewhere in Russia.
458
00:31:33,913 --> 00:31:38,876
The name of the man...
Yuri Alekseyevich Gagarin.
459
00:31:39,794 --> 00:31:42,296
(PATRIOTIC MUSIC PLAYS)
460
00:31:42,422 --> 00:31:45,007
The first hero of the space age receiving
461
00:31:45,091 --> 00:31:46,801
a hero's welcome today.
462
00:31:47,552 --> 00:31:52,557
Yuri Gagarin, the first man ever to circle
the Earth in orbit, reports to his chief,
463
00:31:53,057 --> 00:31:57,145
Nikita S. Khrushchev,
Prime Minister of the Soviet Union.
464
00:31:57,520 --> 00:32:01,858
And in a day of wild jubilation,
he was embraced by the Soviet people
465
00:32:02,108 --> 00:32:07,613
as a new pioneer, a Columbus,
a Linden, Lenin in a spacesuit.
466
00:32:15,371 --> 00:32:18,875
RENICK: Here at Cape Canaveral,
the announcement of the Russian success
467
00:32:19,000 --> 00:32:23,671
has made no visible impact
on this space-oriented community.
468
00:32:24,505 --> 00:32:28,176
The people who live here,
the ones who watch missile firings
469
00:32:28,259 --> 00:32:33,556
as a pastime, still have a local pride
in NASA's Project Mercury.
470
00:32:34,515 --> 00:32:37,435
They are anxiously awaiting
the American firing
471
00:32:37,602 --> 00:32:39,854
of an astronaut into space.
472
00:32:41,063 --> 00:32:44,942
A shot that is anticipated
in the next two or three weeks.
473
00:32:48,321 --> 00:32:51,574
MCGEE: At Cape Canaveral, the countdown,
which could take days,
474
00:32:51,699 --> 00:32:53,367
began early this morning.
475
00:32:53,910 --> 00:32:56,954
And there are rumors that Shepard
has been selected for the flight
476
00:32:57,038 --> 00:32:59,707
with Glenn as standby and vice versa.
477
00:32:59,790 --> 00:33:03,669
The Project Mercury officials have made
no announcement on either the timing
478
00:33:03,753 --> 00:33:06,005
of the launch or the astronaut chosen.
479
00:33:06,881 --> 00:33:08,799
But the launching fever
is gripping the cape
480
00:33:08,883 --> 00:33:10,885
and will soon spread across the country.
481
00:33:11,761 --> 00:33:15,389
The anticipation will however be dulled
by the sobering fact that
482
00:33:15,473 --> 00:33:18,267
even if this experiment
is a spectacular success,
483
00:33:18,893 --> 00:33:22,271
it will still leave the United States
second to Russia.
484
00:33:22,939 --> 00:33:27,360
And if it's a catastrophic failure,
there will be deep gloom compounded
485
00:33:27,443 --> 00:33:30,321
by the tragic loss perhaps of human life.
486
00:33:33,574 --> 00:33:36,869
-(ENGINE REVVING)
-(BEEPING)
487
00:33:39,580 --> 00:33:42,750
ANCHOR: We have interrupted
this program for a special broadcast
488
00:33:42,833 --> 00:33:44,001
from Cape Canaveral.
489
00:33:44,627 --> 00:33:46,003
We switch now to the Cape.
490
00:33:46,629 --> 00:33:49,006
MCGEE: The actual rocket that
will be fired in this launching
491
00:33:49,090 --> 00:33:51,551
and the capsule that will ride atop it
have been selected
492
00:33:51,634 --> 00:33:53,636
and made ready at Cape Canaveral.
493
00:33:54,178 --> 00:33:57,056
The name of the astronaut chosen
is not to be made known
494
00:33:57,139 --> 00:33:59,225
until moments before the launch.
495
00:34:07,900 --> 00:34:10,361
REPORTER: The pilot selected
for the first manned flight attempt
496
00:34:10,611 --> 00:34:12,780
was Alan B. Shepard, Jr.
497
00:34:15,575 --> 00:34:19,161
RENICK: Hundreds of persons traveled
to Cocoa Beach to see with their own eyes
498
00:34:19,412 --> 00:34:23,749
at long distance, the streak of flame
as the Redstone heads skyward.
499
00:34:24,709 --> 00:34:29,130
People stayed at beach vantage points
through the night sleeping in automobiles,
500
00:34:29,338 --> 00:34:30,798
tucked into sleeping bags.
501
00:34:31,132 --> 00:34:35,261
In the distance, about two miles away,
huge searchlights were trained
502
00:34:35,344 --> 00:34:37,263
on the Redstone gantry tower.
503
00:34:38,598 --> 00:34:43,102
Shepard left the Mercury astronaut hangar
in the specially equipped
504
00:34:43,477 --> 00:34:49,066
transportation van, and then he journeyed
to the launching pad area, got out,
505
00:34:49,150 --> 00:34:52,820
took a look at the missile,
and proceeded up the elevator
506
00:34:52,987 --> 00:34:57,283
to assume his position inside
the space, uh, capsule.
507
00:34:59,285 --> 00:35:01,787
ABERNATHY: He will not go into orbit,
as Yuri Gagarin did,
508
00:35:02,204 --> 00:35:06,417
but he will ride his capsule
or spacecraft 116 miles up.
509
00:35:06,917 --> 00:35:09,462
And there he'll hang weightless
for about five minutes
510
00:35:09,545 --> 00:35:13,215
until gravity pulls him back
through the atmosphere to the sea
511
00:35:13,313 --> 00:35:15,217
nearly three hundred miles down range.
512
00:35:18,346 --> 00:35:21,766
The whole flight will take just 16 minutes
but even though brief,
513
00:35:21,891 --> 00:35:26,062
it will help tell us whether man
can be useful in nearby space.
514
00:35:30,358 --> 00:35:34,612
The tall gantry tower moved back
on its tracks nearly three hours ago,
515
00:35:34,779 --> 00:35:39,283
leaving the white Redstone standing alone
like a monument of the space age.
516
00:35:41,202 --> 00:35:44,246
Alan Shepard, encased in his
cumbersome pressure suit,
517
00:35:44,330 --> 00:35:47,625
has remained in the capsule on his back
on his contour couch,
518
00:35:48,000 --> 00:35:50,586
busy with his laboratory
of complex instruments,
519
00:35:50,795 --> 00:35:53,923
going through the motions he's often
gone through in practice sessions,
520
00:35:54,131 --> 00:35:55,800
talking to the control center.
521
00:35:56,133 --> 00:35:58,844
ENGINEER: Firing command, 30, mark.
522
00:35:59,178 --> 00:36:01,514
SHEPARD: Roger, Periscope has retracted.
523
00:36:01,889 --> 00:36:03,724
ENGINEER: That is the best periscope
we've got.
524
00:36:04,308 --> 00:36:06,143
SHEPARD: Main bus 24 volts.
525
00:36:06,310 --> 00:36:08,396
TROUT: He has been busy
but he would not be human
526
00:36:08,479 --> 00:36:09,772
if he did not feel the strain.
527
00:36:09,897 --> 00:36:11,315
ENGINEER: Program. Roger.
528
00:36:11,899 --> 00:36:15,236
C.O. Control fuel.
Roger, fire one. Awesome panel.
529
00:36:15,361 --> 00:36:18,364
SHEPARD: Automatic fuel is 95.
Regular is 96.
530
00:36:18,447 --> 00:36:19,949
Cameras and tape recorders are running.
531
00:36:20,116 --> 00:36:22,827
VON FREMD: Sixty-two newsmen
from 12 foreign countries are present.
532
00:36:23,077 --> 00:36:26,497
Some pace about, some sit ramrod straight
staring at the launching pad
533
00:36:26,580 --> 00:36:27,623
where the Redstone sits.
534
00:36:27,707 --> 00:36:31,001
A squawk box just announced T-minus
six minutes and counting.
535
00:36:33,504 --> 00:36:36,257
WOLFE:
I sensed that in Alan Shepard's... flight,
536
00:36:37,383 --> 00:36:40,219
that as it got down close to zero,
537
00:36:40,344 --> 00:36:45,266
that the engineers were so worked up
for fear, each one for fear that
538
00:36:45,349 --> 00:36:47,393
it would be his system that
would cause a catastrophe.
539
00:36:49,228 --> 00:36:51,313
Finally, Shepard heard one of them...
540
00:36:51,814 --> 00:36:53,733
talking about an overheating piece
of equipment.
541
00:36:53,899 --> 00:36:56,318
ENGINEER: Somebody along, somebody,
a mechanic on the second?
542
00:36:56,527 --> 00:36:59,071
WOLFE: The one engineer was saying
to the other, "You know, I think we better
543
00:36:59,155 --> 00:37:02,366
"take that thing out and look at it before
we proceed."
544
00:37:02,450 --> 00:37:06,829
And Shepard knew that taking
that thing out was not a 15-minute job,
545
00:37:06,912 --> 00:37:07,997
it was a two-day job.
546
00:37:08,539 --> 00:37:11,667
ENGINEER: Down at 170.
No, they should standby.
547
00:37:12,251 --> 00:37:14,670
WOLFE: And at this point,
he got on the radio, and he says,
548
00:37:14,754 --> 00:37:16,964
"Look... I'm cooler than you are."
549
00:37:17,715 --> 00:37:19,800
WOLFE: "Why don't you fix
your little problem
550
00:37:19,884 --> 00:37:21,010
"and light this candle?"
551
00:37:21,218 --> 00:37:24,680
DC power will be applied to the capsule.
DC power will be applied to the capsule.
552
00:37:24,764 --> 00:37:26,515
WOLFE: And that seemed to pull 'em
all together and said,
553
00:37:26,599 --> 00:37:30,311
"Okay, if he's willing to take the risk,
then by God we should be willing, too."
554
00:37:30,895 --> 00:37:32,855
ENGINEER: T-minus 15 seconds.
555
00:37:33,814 --> 00:37:39,487
T-minus ten, nine, eight, seven,
six, five, four,
556
00:37:40,070 --> 00:37:43,491
-three, two, one, zero.
-(BLASTS)
557
00:37:43,949 --> 00:37:46,118
Lift off. Ignition.
558
00:37:46,243 --> 00:37:48,579
SHEPARD:
Roger, lift off and the clock has started.
559
00:37:49,413 --> 00:37:54,043
REPORTER: The Redstone is rising
from its launching pad, slowly at first,
560
00:37:55,336 --> 00:37:57,546
going straight up into the sky.
561
00:37:58,756 --> 00:38:00,633
SHEPARD:
Yes, sir, reading you loud and clear.
562
00:38:01,926 --> 00:38:04,845
RENICK: The sound is now reaching
our vantage point here.
563
00:38:05,930 --> 00:38:07,515
So far, so good.
564
00:38:08,557 --> 00:38:10,893
The news people are applauding.
565
00:38:12,353 --> 00:38:14,188
Tremendous cheers going off.
566
00:38:14,563 --> 00:38:18,400
Alan B. Shepard in the nose cone
of that rocket.
567
00:38:20,736 --> 00:38:26,867
SHEPARD: This is Freedom 7.
The fuel is go, 1.2 G, cabin at 14 psi.
568
00:38:26,992 --> 00:38:28,452
Oxygen is go.
569
00:38:28,702 --> 00:38:30,830
REPORTER: Seventy-eight thousand
pounds of thrust.
570
00:38:31,413 --> 00:38:33,290
They're pushing the missile up
into the sky.
571
00:38:33,457 --> 00:38:34,917
ENGINEER: The trajectory is A-okay.
572
00:38:35,793 --> 00:38:39,588
REPORTER: The speed is picking up
to 4,500 miles an hour...
573
00:38:42,258 --> 00:38:45,970
to carry spaceman Shepard
115 miles above the earth.
574
00:38:46,303 --> 00:38:49,306
LAUNCH STAFF: Freedom 7 is still go.
The trajectory is A-okay.
575
00:38:50,224 --> 00:38:55,521
Freedom 7 with astronaut Alan B. Shepard
reports the fuel system is go, 4 G.
576
00:38:56,188 --> 00:38:58,399
SHEPARD: Cabin holding at 5.5.
577
00:38:58,816 --> 00:39:03,529
LAUNCH STAFF: Cabin 5.5 pounds per square
inch. Oxygen go, all systems go.
578
00:39:03,946 --> 00:39:07,658
HACKES: Medical monitor okay.
Apparently, the flight is going just
579
00:39:07,741 --> 00:39:10,536
as well as planned,
perhaps even a little better.
580
00:39:10,661 --> 00:39:13,956
None of the emergencies for which
we had planned for so long
581
00:39:14,039 --> 00:39:17,418
has, uh, yet taken place, and, of course,
we hope none of them will.
582
00:39:18,544 --> 00:39:21,589
SHEPARD: On the periscope,
what a beautiful view.
583
00:39:23,257 --> 00:39:27,386
HACKES: At this point, the pilot
is about six minutes and 30 seconds
584
00:39:27,469 --> 00:39:30,347
after his launch, 6:30 after launch.
585
00:39:30,598 --> 00:39:34,602
In just a moment or two, he will confirm
that he is at the apogee of his flight,
586
00:39:34,685 --> 00:39:37,396
that is the most distant point
from the Earth,
587
00:39:37,479 --> 00:39:40,900
which we expect will be 115 to 117 miles.
588
00:39:42,484 --> 00:39:43,861
(HELICOPTER WHIRRING)
589
00:39:44,111 --> 00:39:48,032
REPORTER: Far out at sea an armada
of ships stand by to pick the capsule
590
00:39:48,365 --> 00:39:50,618
out of the sea after it parachutes in.
591
00:39:51,452 --> 00:39:54,538
SHEPARD: Okay, reentry attitude
retros are jettisoned.
592
00:39:55,706 --> 00:39:57,708
MUELLER:
The capsule is dropping radar chaff
593
00:39:57,833 --> 00:39:59,376
for the search planes and the ship.
594
00:40:02,171 --> 00:40:06,091
SHEPARD: Uh... G-buildup, three...
595
00:40:06,967 --> 00:40:09,511
six... nine.
596
00:40:12,431 --> 00:40:16,226
Main chute is green, main chute is coming
un-reefed and looks good.
597
00:40:16,352 --> 00:40:18,854
HACKES: This, of course, will be
the first, uh, word we get.
598
00:40:18,938 --> 00:40:22,524
We hope within a matter of seconds
that the capsule has been spotted.
599
00:40:29,782 --> 00:40:31,992
DOWNS:
It just hit the water a moment ago.
600
00:40:32,868 --> 00:40:36,121
A cheer went up from the ship company
watching here from all decks
601
00:40:36,205 --> 00:40:37,539
on the aircraft carrier.
602
00:40:38,165 --> 00:40:42,169
The astronaut, Alan Shepard,
has just climbed out of the capsule.
603
00:40:42,836 --> 00:40:46,340
And they are now trying
to get him up into the helicopter.
604
00:40:53,597 --> 00:40:56,725
No one, especially newsmen,
will be allowed to ask him any questions
605
00:40:56,809 --> 00:40:59,269
until he has been debriefed by doctors.
606
00:41:05,317 --> 00:41:08,988
WOLFE: Glenn and the others now watched
from the sidelines as Al Shepard
607
00:41:09,113 --> 00:41:10,698
was hoisted out of their midst.
608
00:41:11,115 --> 00:41:13,784
REPORTER: Here come the astronauts,
and there's Shepard!
609
00:41:14,034 --> 00:41:18,122
WOLFE: And installed as a national hero
on the order of a Lindbergh.
610
00:41:20,374 --> 00:41:25,004
As the first United States Astronaut,
was an outstanding contribution
611
00:41:25,671 --> 00:41:29,049
to the advancement of human knowledge
of space technology.
612
00:41:29,174 --> 00:41:32,553
And I speak on behalf of,
uh, the Vice President, who is Chairman
613
00:41:32,636 --> 00:41:35,848
of our Space Council,
the members of the House and Senate,
614
00:41:36,223 --> 00:41:38,475
space committee who are with us today.
615
00:41:39,685 --> 00:41:40,769
And, uh...
616
00:41:41,228 --> 00:41:43,772
this decoration which has gone
from the ground up, here.
617
00:41:43,856 --> 00:41:48,485
(LAUGHTER AND APPLAUSE)
618
00:41:57,911 --> 00:42:02,374
Well, all of a sudden during the period
of the middle of the weightlessness,
619
00:42:03,208 --> 00:42:05,544
I realized that somebody was
gonna ask me that question.
620
00:42:06,045 --> 00:42:08,380
(ALL LAUGH)
621
00:42:10,591 --> 00:42:11,467
So...
622
00:42:11,842 --> 00:42:15,054
(APPLAUSE)
623
00:42:15,596 --> 00:42:17,890
So, I said to myself
you'd better figure out an answer.
624
00:42:20,601 --> 00:42:25,606
Seriously, as we have said before, uh,
during the short periods of weightlessness
625
00:42:25,689 --> 00:42:28,192
that we've experienced during
our training period,
626
00:42:28,859 --> 00:42:30,611
it's quite a pleasant sensation.
627
00:42:37,701 --> 00:42:39,745
KENNEDY:
Finally, if we are to win the battle
628
00:42:39,995 --> 00:42:41,914
that is now going on around the world...
629
00:42:42,873 --> 00:42:47,795
between freedom and tyranny,
the dramatic achievements in space,
630
00:42:47,878 --> 00:42:51,715
which occurred in recent weeks,
should have made clear to us all,
631
00:42:52,633 --> 00:42:55,010
as did the Sputnik in 1957,
632
00:42:56,011 --> 00:43:01,100
impact of this adventure on the minds
of men everywhere
633
00:43:02,059 --> 00:43:06,480
who are attempting to make a determination
of which road they should take.
634
00:43:07,523 --> 00:43:11,819
I believe that this nation should commit
itself to achieving the goal
635
00:43:12,694 --> 00:43:16,240
before this decade is out
of landing a man on the Moon
636
00:43:16,323 --> 00:43:20,577
-and returning him safely to the Earth.
-(APPLAUSE)
637
00:43:20,994 --> 00:43:24,832
SHEARER: The president put it like this,
"It will not be one man going to the Moon,
638
00:43:24,915 --> 00:43:28,752
"it will be the entire nation,
for all of us must work to put him there."
639
00:43:41,348 --> 00:43:45,936
(EPIC MUSIC PLAYING)
640
00:43:46,520 --> 00:43:49,565
MCGEE: This training device was created
especially for the astronauts.
641
00:43:50,190 --> 00:43:53,694
By releasing jets of air, they learn
to control their movements
642
00:43:53,777 --> 00:43:57,281
in any one of three directions,
or any combination of the three.
643
00:44:09,001 --> 00:44:12,754
As they perform these exercises,
a film strip of the world's geography
644
00:44:12,838 --> 00:44:16,341
is projected on a screen to help
them learn, by instant sighting,
645
00:44:16,466 --> 00:44:18,760
where they may be
along their projected path.
646
00:44:22,181 --> 00:44:24,016
Virgil Grissom is the astronaut.
647
00:44:24,808 --> 00:44:27,477
Do you have any difficulty convincing
yourself that you might actually
648
00:44:27,561 --> 00:44:29,313
see the world go by like that someday?
649
00:44:29,771 --> 00:44:32,524
I really don't sit in the trainer
and think about myself
650
00:44:32,649 --> 00:44:34,109
being 100 miles above the Earth.
651
00:44:35,527 --> 00:44:38,655
I'm occupied with the control task
and this is the thing that
652
00:44:38,739 --> 00:44:40,699
really occupies my mind, not daydreaming.
653
00:44:44,203 --> 00:44:46,538
BERGMAN: And here we are back
at ABC News headquarters
654
00:44:46,622 --> 00:44:47,915
on Cape Canaveral.
655
00:44:48,040 --> 00:44:51,627
Scarcely three minutes away
from America's second manned space shot
656
00:44:51,877 --> 00:44:54,755
with captain Gus Grissom sitting
in the Mercury space capsule
657
00:44:54,838 --> 00:44:57,633
atop that 83-foot high Redstone rocket.
658
00:44:58,342 --> 00:45:01,136
And as of now, everything looks like
it's in a go condition.
659
00:45:05,515 --> 00:45:07,226
SHEPARD: Periscope has retracted.
660
00:45:09,561 --> 00:45:11,688
T-minus 15 seconds.
661
00:45:13,649 --> 00:45:17,527
Ten, nine, eight, seven, six,
662
00:45:18,278 --> 00:45:22,824
five, four, three, two, one.
663
00:45:23,325 --> 00:45:25,619
Ignition. Lift off.
664
00:45:25,786 --> 00:45:27,454
(LAUNCHES)
665
00:45:44,012 --> 00:45:46,765
MALE VOICE: All systems are go,
and Gus Grissom sounds
666
00:45:46,848 --> 00:45:49,434
like a very confident test pilot today.
667
00:45:50,310 --> 00:45:52,187
-SHEPARD: Loud and clear.
-LAUNCH STAFF: Roger.
668
00:45:53,146 --> 00:45:56,275
GRISSOM: Okay, the fuel is go,
about one and a quarter Gs.
669
00:45:56,358 --> 00:45:59,444
Cabin pressure is just coming off the peg.
The oxygen is go.
670
00:46:02,823 --> 00:46:04,449
POWERS: Six seventeen into the flight.
671
00:46:05,867 --> 00:46:08,537
The capsule is coming around
into orbit attitude.
672
00:46:10,580 --> 00:46:14,293
He has brought his spacecraft around
into reentry attitude
673
00:46:14,376 --> 00:46:17,587
that is with the big bell shape
beginning to point down.
674
00:46:43,530 --> 00:46:46,366
REPORTER: Flight Surgeon reports
that Gus Grissom came through
675
00:46:46,450 --> 00:46:49,703
the high G forces of reentry
in A-okay condition.
676
00:47:05,594 --> 00:47:08,138
REPORTER: Now, we're advised that
as a result of communications
677
00:47:08,221 --> 00:47:12,267
with Gus Grissom floating in the water,
he's told his recovery helicopters that
678
00:47:12,851 --> 00:47:16,313
he intends to finish his checklist
and make sure that everything is secure
679
00:47:16,396 --> 00:47:18,899
in the cockpit before he opens
the hatch to come out.
680
00:47:22,069 --> 00:47:24,780
(HELICOPTER WHIRRING)
681
00:47:30,494 --> 00:47:33,580
MALE VOICE: The astronaut, Virgil Grissom,
is out of the capsule,
682
00:47:33,663 --> 00:47:34,956
swimming in the water.
683
00:47:41,838 --> 00:47:44,925
The capsule itself is apparently sinking
lower into the water...
684
00:47:47,427 --> 00:47:51,223
and there is fear that it might sink
completely below the surface of the water.
685
00:47:51,515 --> 00:47:54,476
Two helicopters are hovering
very close to the astronaut
686
00:47:54,559 --> 00:47:55,811
and the capsule out there.
687
00:48:00,816 --> 00:48:03,360
The helicopter is holding
up the capsule itself.
688
00:48:03,652 --> 00:48:06,363
They're checking on Grissom again,
but the helicopter has a cable
689
00:48:06,446 --> 00:48:09,408
aboard the capsule and is holding it up
at the present time.
690
00:48:11,034 --> 00:48:14,079
The helicopter is hovering over
and holding the capsule up.
691
00:48:14,788 --> 00:48:18,583
The capsule was sinking badly in the water
and that's the reason that Virgil Grissom
692
00:48:18,667 --> 00:48:20,252
got out of the capsule.
693
00:48:22,212 --> 00:48:24,381
One helicopter is hovering very close
to the capsule
694
00:48:24,506 --> 00:48:26,091
and now they're moving in beside it.
695
00:48:26,299 --> 00:48:29,594
They'll have to hold the capsule up
and get a cable down to Grissom as well.
696
00:48:31,972 --> 00:48:33,140
(LOUD SPLASH)
697
00:48:33,598 --> 00:48:35,475
MALE VOICE: The capsule has dropped.
698
00:48:35,809 --> 00:48:38,186
The capsule has been dropped
by the helicopter.
699
00:48:38,520 --> 00:48:40,230
And it's dropped back into the water.
700
00:48:40,313 --> 00:48:42,649
Now, whether they can get it
again before it sinks or not,
701
00:48:42,983 --> 00:48:45,318
that is going to be a major problem
at this time.
702
00:48:53,368 --> 00:48:55,287
WOLFE: By this time, Grissom
was nearly drowning.
703
00:48:55,370 --> 00:48:57,539
He had forgotten to close one
of the inlet valves
704
00:48:57,622 --> 00:48:59,166
for the oxygen supply in his suit.
705
00:49:00,542 --> 00:49:02,544
(HELICOPTER WHIRRING)
706
00:49:04,463 --> 00:49:07,799
REPORTER: They're making an attempt
to get a cable to Virgil Grissom.
707
00:49:11,011 --> 00:49:14,598
And it looks like Grissom is coming up
now, it looks like Grissom is coming up
708
00:49:14,723 --> 00:49:18,768
out of the water. And there's, you can,
you can see him now.
709
00:49:18,977 --> 00:49:22,397
He's about four miles from us,
and he's being pulled up.
710
00:49:29,404 --> 00:49:33,241
And Grissom is safe and sound
in the helicopter after his dunking
711
00:49:33,325 --> 00:49:35,577
when the capsule itself started to sink.
712
00:49:41,416 --> 00:49:44,669
MCGEE: To recap briefly,
we have had a second successful launching
713
00:49:44,753 --> 00:49:47,964
of an American astronaut. Obviously
not as successful as the first one
714
00:49:48,048 --> 00:49:51,176
because the capsule itself
was lost in the recovery operation,
715
00:49:51,259 --> 00:49:54,513
but successful in its most important
and critical area.
716
00:49:54,721 --> 00:49:58,767
The astronaut himself, Air Force
Captain Virgil Grissom, was recovered.
717
00:50:00,477 --> 00:50:02,979
WOLFE: The capsule had been equipped
for the first time with a hatch
718
00:50:03,063 --> 00:50:04,523
that could be opened from the inside.
719
00:50:07,192 --> 00:50:11,196
Now, the controversy was over whether
or not he had panicked and decided,
720
00:50:11,279 --> 00:50:13,156
"I've gotta get out of this thing,"
and hit the button,
721
00:50:13,240 --> 00:50:15,742
causing this catastrophe.
Or whether he had blundered,
722
00:50:16,076 --> 00:50:18,245
and had inadvertently somehow
hit the thing,
723
00:50:18,578 --> 00:50:21,081
either of which would be a cardinal sin.
724
00:50:22,165 --> 00:50:23,959
REPORTER: The President has called
725
00:50:24,084 --> 00:50:27,295
to the astronaut
Captain Virgil Gus Grissom.
726
00:50:52,112 --> 00:50:54,072
WOLFE:
Grissom had John F. Kennedy to thank.
727
00:51:00,787 --> 00:51:05,250
He was not about to let the second flight
of his new administration
728
00:51:05,750 --> 00:51:07,377
be classified as a debacle.
729
00:51:08,545 --> 00:51:10,422
By, it's kind of universal agreement,
it was said,
730
00:51:10,505 --> 00:51:12,799
"Well, Gus's flight was really a success.
731
00:51:16,303 --> 00:51:18,346
"He just had a little trouble
at the very end."
732
00:51:24,102 --> 00:51:26,521
GRISSOM:
I started my, uh, pitch and yaw movement
733
00:51:26,605 --> 00:51:31,276
to check out the manual control system,
and, uh, I was so fascinated by this view
734
00:51:31,359 --> 00:51:33,778
out the window that I had difficulty
controlling on...
735
00:51:34,070 --> 00:51:35,739
difficulty concentrating
on the instruments.
736
00:51:35,822 --> 00:51:37,365
I kept wanting to peek out
the window.
737
00:51:38,700 --> 00:51:39,701
You over here.
738
00:51:40,327 --> 00:51:44,247
REPORTER: What happened to
the inflatable, uh, life raft, Gus?
739
00:51:44,331 --> 00:51:47,334
Did you have to get out too fast for that,
or what's the procedure?
740
00:51:47,417 --> 00:51:51,212
GRISSOM: Uh... I took off my helmet,
unstrapped myself,
741
00:51:51,630 --> 00:51:55,759
I called, uh, helicopters, told them
I was ready to come out.
742
00:51:56,051 --> 00:51:59,012
So I was all set, waiting for them,
laid back down on the couch.
743
00:51:59,512 --> 00:52:02,057
I was just laying there,
minding my own business when, "Pow,"
744
00:52:02,766 --> 00:52:05,268
the hatch went, I looked up,
and I saw nothing but blue sky,
745
00:52:05,352 --> 00:52:07,020
and water starting to come in
over the sill.
746
00:52:07,103 --> 00:52:09,731
Uh, without a doubt that
was the biggest shock of the day to me,
747
00:52:09,814 --> 00:52:10,940
to see that door go off.
748
00:52:11,191 --> 00:52:12,901
-Back, over here.
-REPORTER: Do you have an impression
749
00:52:12,984 --> 00:52:15,153
of how much time elapsed
between the time the hatch blew
750
00:52:15,236 --> 00:52:17,530
-and the capsule would fill?
-REPORTER: Somebody said to you,
751
00:52:17,656 --> 00:52:20,158
"Get out of the blank,
blank capsule quick."
752
00:52:20,450 --> 00:52:22,661
-Was this part of your conversation?
-REPORTER: In addition to the hatch,
753
00:52:22,744 --> 00:52:24,412
what are the other things you...
754
00:52:24,496 --> 00:52:26,331
REPORTER: Captain, do you have
any explanation
755
00:52:26,414 --> 00:52:28,208
of why that escape hatch came off?
756
00:52:28,291 --> 00:52:32,003
Is it possible you could have grazed
against the plunger button?
757
00:52:32,796 --> 00:52:35,215
Well, I'm, uh, pretty certain
in my own mind that I didn't
758
00:52:35,298 --> 00:52:37,300
because it's quite difficult
to get to it.
759
00:52:37,926 --> 00:52:42,389
(APPLAUSE)
760
00:52:42,972 --> 00:52:46,726
REPORTER: NBC News has presented
a news conference by Mercury astronaut
761
00:52:46,851 --> 00:52:51,523
Virgil I. Grissom, who, yesterday,
became America's second man into space.
762
00:53:08,415 --> 00:53:10,709
REPORTER:
Two pilot teams have been selected
763
00:53:10,804 --> 00:53:14,479
for Project Mercury's initial manned
orbital spaceflight.
764
00:53:15,630 --> 00:53:19,551
John H. Glenn Jr. has been selected
for the first flight
765
00:53:20,135 --> 00:53:22,512
with Scott Carpenter acting as backup.
766
00:53:27,684 --> 00:53:30,270
GLENN: We've done a great amount
of training, as you're well aware.
767
00:53:30,687 --> 00:53:34,941
A lot of it has been new and varied,
and as we have gone through a lot of this,
768
00:53:35,066 --> 00:53:38,027
I have tried to share a lot of this
with the family when I come home
769
00:53:38,111 --> 00:53:39,612
from various activities.
770
00:53:39,779 --> 00:53:42,782
In fact, that's usually the first thing
we do when I get home from a trip.
771
00:53:42,866 --> 00:53:45,744
We all, uh, get caught up,
not only on my activities,
772
00:53:45,827 --> 00:53:48,580
but on what Annie and the children
have been doing, too.
773
00:53:50,123 --> 00:53:53,042
I'm sure you've given some thought
to the possibility that this flight
774
00:53:53,126 --> 00:53:55,378
may not turn out well,
and that you may not come back.
775
00:53:56,212 --> 00:53:57,964
If that should happen,
what kind of a memory
776
00:53:58,047 --> 00:53:59,924
would you want your boy to have about you?
777
00:54:08,057 --> 00:54:10,602
Well, that's an interesting question,
to say the least. (CHUCKLES)
778
00:54:10,685 --> 00:54:11,644
MCGEE: It is.
779
00:54:12,687 --> 00:54:14,147
GLENN: We all have certain talents.
780
00:54:14,355 --> 00:54:17,692
It's up to us to use those talents that
we have to the maximum.
781
00:54:17,942 --> 00:54:22,572
And if I can leave that sort of a heritage
that I used the talents I had to the best
782
00:54:22,822 --> 00:54:26,910
of my ability while I was here, I think
that's the best memory anyone could leave.
783
00:54:29,537 --> 00:54:31,372
REPORTER: Around town,
the tension is building,
784
00:54:31,456 --> 00:54:33,416
perhaps more than we've
ever seen it here.
785
00:54:35,919 --> 00:54:39,547
RENICK: The big question here surrounding
tomorrow's scheduled launch
786
00:54:39,631 --> 00:54:42,050
of astronaut John Glenn
into a triple orbit around
787
00:54:42,133 --> 00:54:43,676
the Earth is weather.
788
00:54:44,052 --> 00:54:47,180
Weather here at the launch site
and downrange in the Atlantic
789
00:54:47,305 --> 00:54:52,290
where Navy recovery vessels are scheduled
to meet Glenn as he comes out of orbit.
790
00:54:59,400 --> 00:55:03,071
WOLFE: John Glenn was about to
make his flight,
791
00:55:03,154 --> 00:55:05,406
in which he would be the first American
to go into orbit.
792
00:55:08,159 --> 00:55:11,246
The flight was to take place in February,
and there was about four or five flights
793
00:55:11,329 --> 00:55:13,331
that were delayed by the weather.
794
00:55:18,253 --> 00:55:21,631
Glenn had been up on top of the rocket
for five and a half hours,
795
00:55:22,215 --> 00:55:23,758
waiting for the weather to clear.
796
00:55:25,844 --> 00:55:29,514
Finally, it wouldn't clear,
and the flight was scrubbed.
797
00:55:31,474 --> 00:55:33,017
REPORTER:
I have an announcement for you.
798
00:55:33,309 --> 00:55:35,019
An attempt to launch a man
799
00:55:35,103 --> 00:55:38,273
to orbital Project Mercury spacecraft
here today...
800
00:55:38,815 --> 00:55:43,069
was postponed due to a heavy overcast
in the launch area.
801
00:55:44,153 --> 00:55:47,073
WOLFE: And at this point, Lyndon Johnson,
who was Vice President,
802
00:55:47,156 --> 00:55:50,702
and had been made a kind of functionary
in-charge of the space program
803
00:55:50,827 --> 00:55:52,412
to give a Vice President something to do,
804
00:55:52,620 --> 00:55:55,373
was suffering an extreme case
of media deprivation.
805
00:55:55,456 --> 00:55:58,710
And he was determined to get
inside of the Glenn household,
806
00:55:58,793 --> 00:56:01,004
and console Annie Glenn...
807
00:56:01,588 --> 00:56:04,465
on nationwide television for the ordeal
that she had had to go through
808
00:56:04,549 --> 00:56:07,552
while waiting to see if her husband
was going to be exploded into space,
809
00:56:07,635 --> 00:56:08,887
or up to the harp form.
810
00:56:09,512 --> 00:56:11,848
REPORTER: The reaction here
at the Glenn household, of course,
811
00:56:11,931 --> 00:56:15,310
is one of disappointment.
Mrs. Glenn, uh, was anxious for the shot
812
00:56:15,393 --> 00:56:17,896
to go this morning,
as, uh, were all of us.
813
00:56:18,313 --> 00:56:21,357
She is looking forward to the next
launching date, yet to be announced.
814
00:56:21,441 --> 00:56:24,027
As you can see, a large crowd
of reporters, neighbors,
815
00:56:24,110 --> 00:56:26,446
and casual spectators are gathered here.
816
00:56:27,488 --> 00:56:30,575
WOLFE: Now, Annie Glenn was
terrified of this visit.
817
00:56:31,117 --> 00:56:33,411
Fact was, as practically no one
in the country knew,
818
00:56:33,536 --> 00:56:35,079
she had a ferocious stutter.
819
00:56:37,999 --> 00:56:40,627
So, she kept sending out word that,
"No. Thank you very much.
820
00:56:40,710 --> 00:56:42,503
"I really don't want to
see the Vice President.
821
00:56:42,587 --> 00:56:44,047
"It's a very private moment for me."
822
00:56:44,505 --> 00:56:46,007
She just wouldn't let him in the door.
823
00:56:46,382 --> 00:56:49,302
And by now, he was in a limousine
about six blocks away,
824
00:56:49,385 --> 00:56:52,221
waiting to be admitted to the presence
of the space-wife.
825
00:56:53,640 --> 00:56:56,225
First thing Glenn knows,
he's back in the ready room,
826
00:56:56,309 --> 00:56:59,187
taking off his pressure suit,
and in comes a delegation...
827
00:56:59,479 --> 00:57:01,940
of brass from NASA,
marching into the place, saying,
828
00:57:02,065 --> 00:57:03,441
"John, we need your cooperation,
829
00:57:03,524 --> 00:57:05,276
"we're having a little problem
with your wife."
830
00:57:05,360 --> 00:57:06,945
He says, "You're having a problem
with my wife?"
831
00:57:07,362 --> 00:57:10,114
And they said, "Well, yeah, she won't let
the Vice President into the house.
832
00:57:10,198 --> 00:57:13,117
"And you tell her, she's going to let
the Vice President of the United States
833
00:57:13,201 --> 00:57:16,621
"into that house to console her."
So Glenn gets on the telephone,
834
00:57:16,704 --> 00:57:20,083
and he says, "Look, if you don't want the
Vice President to come in,
835
00:57:20,166 --> 00:57:23,294
"if you don't want the President
to come in, they're not coming in!"
836
00:57:24,837 --> 00:57:30,134
Well, Glenn, with that gesture,
stood a good chance of losing his flight
837
00:57:31,135 --> 00:57:33,388
because James Webb, who was
the new administrator of NASA
838
00:57:33,471 --> 00:57:35,390
at that time, he wanted to replace him
right away.
839
00:57:36,099 --> 00:57:37,850
You know, he said,
"He's not a team player."
840
00:57:38,768 --> 00:57:41,896
It was only the fact that some
of Webb's subordinates immediately said,
841
00:57:41,980 --> 00:57:44,107
"Look, the astronauts have
their differences.
842
00:57:44,190 --> 00:57:45,400
"They have a lot of rivalries.
843
00:57:45,483 --> 00:57:47,652
"But on something like this,
they're going to close ranks
844
00:57:48,194 --> 00:57:51,114
"as any pilots would in a squadron,
and they're going to rebel.
845
00:57:54,492 --> 00:57:56,744
"And you simply will not be able
to carry it through."
846
00:58:10,258 --> 00:58:12,844
KAPLOW:
And here is pilot Glenn stepping out now.
847
00:58:14,971 --> 00:58:17,598
Switching the portable air cooler
848
00:58:17,682 --> 00:58:19,934
from his left to his right hand,
then back to his left.
849
00:58:20,018 --> 00:58:23,521
And he moves his way around the front
of the truck on Launchpad 14.
850
00:58:29,444 --> 00:58:32,030
And now stepping into the elevator,
followed by Dr. Douglas,
851
00:58:32,113 --> 00:58:35,825
by suit technician Schmitt,
by astronaut Deke Slayton.
852
00:58:39,370 --> 00:58:43,041
BERGMAN: Colonel John Glenn
was awakened at 2:20 a.m. Eastern Time
853
00:58:43,166 --> 00:58:45,710
this morning to begin preparing
for this mission.
854
00:58:48,254 --> 00:58:51,966
The second attempt at getting
the free world's first man hurled
855
00:58:52,050 --> 00:58:54,427
into a three-orbit mission
around this world.
856
00:59:11,194 --> 00:59:13,571
I don't know any words
for this except the trite ones,
857
00:59:13,696 --> 00:59:15,990
tension is mounting here
at Cape Canaveral.
858
00:59:16,532 --> 00:59:20,411
We've heard that phrase so many times
before, but I don't know any circumstance
859
00:59:20,495 --> 00:59:22,330
to which is applies quite like this.
860
00:59:22,538 --> 00:59:24,123
FLIGHT DIRECTOR:
Status check, pressurization?
861
00:59:24,207 --> 00:59:27,210
MALE VOICE: Go. LOX tanking? I have a
blinking, high-level light?
862
00:59:27,335 --> 00:59:30,171
-MALE VOICE 1: You are Go!
-MALE VOICE 2: Umbilical retract now?
863
00:59:30,296 --> 00:59:32,548
-FLIGHT DIRECTOR: Range operations?
-LAUNCH STAFF: Go, clear to launch.
864
00:59:32,632 --> 00:59:34,133
-FLIGHT DIRECTOR: Mercury capsule?
-LAUNCH STAFF: Go!
865
00:59:34,217 --> 00:59:38,221
Fifteen seconds. Good Lord
riding all the way. Godspeed, John Glenn.
866
00:59:38,387 --> 00:59:41,140
REPORTER: Moving past 30 seconds
into the countdown.
867
00:59:41,224 --> 00:59:42,809
LAUNCH STAFF: Ten seconds and counting.
868
00:59:43,392 --> 00:59:46,479
-REPORTER: T-minus ten seconds.
-LAUNCH STAFF: Ten, nine, eight, seven,
869
00:59:46,646 --> 00:59:50,233
six, five, four, three
870
00:59:50,817 --> 00:59:54,737
two, one, zero, ignition.
871
00:59:55,863 --> 00:59:59,117
Liftoff. Liftoff!
872
01:00:01,369 --> 01:00:03,871
(TRIUMPHANT MUSIC PLAYING)
873
01:00:06,040 --> 01:00:08,251
REPORTER: The Atlas missile has
lifted off from the pad,
874
01:00:09,043 --> 01:00:11,295
and is rising steady into the sky.
875
01:00:20,930 --> 01:00:23,307
(ROCKET ENGINE ROARING)
876
01:00:36,070 --> 01:00:42,743
REPORTER: As John Glenn Jr. has begun
his first orbital ride around the Earth.
877
01:00:54,130 --> 01:00:56,340
The time of the lift off was 9:47.
878
01:00:56,632 --> 01:00:59,635
As the spacecraft moved out
of sight from Florida,
879
01:00:59,719 --> 01:01:01,971
it was picked up by the
Bermuda tracking station.
880
01:01:02,847 --> 01:01:05,892
John Glenn's voice was coming in
loud and clear.
881
01:01:06,809 --> 01:01:09,353
GLENN: So, the sun is coming up
behind me in the periscope,
882
01:01:09,645 --> 01:01:11,898
a brilliant, brilliant red. Over.
883
01:01:13,274 --> 01:01:14,775
-MALE VOICE: Roger.
-(RADIO STATIC)
884
01:01:22,325 --> 01:01:24,535
TOWNSEND: Exactly one hour
and three minutes ago,
885
01:01:24,660 --> 01:01:26,913
John Glenn left Cape Canaveral.
886
01:01:27,288 --> 01:01:31,626
Traveling at 17,545 miles an hour
at an altitude varying
887
01:01:31,792 --> 01:01:35,254
from 100 to 160 miles above the Earth.
888
01:01:38,799 --> 01:01:40,551
REPORTER:
Did you ever show up for work today?
889
01:01:40,635 --> 01:01:43,930
FEMALE VOICE: Yes, I did. We got
permission from our company to watch it.
890
01:01:44,013 --> 01:01:45,348
REPORTER: Good for them. I don't...
891
01:01:45,431 --> 01:01:47,725
imagine they figure they'd get
much work out of you anyway.
892
01:01:47,808 --> 01:01:50,102
Not today. They said this is more
important than work.
893
01:01:52,063 --> 01:01:55,399
GLENN: Uh, this is Friendship 7,
I'll try to describe what I'm in here.
894
01:01:55,775 --> 01:01:59,779
Uh, I am in a... a big mass
of some very small particles,
895
01:02:00,238 --> 01:02:03,115
uh, that are brilliantly lit up,
like they're luminescent.
896
01:02:03,199 --> 01:02:05,368
I never saw anything like it.
They're around a little...
897
01:02:05,952 --> 01:02:07,620
they're coming by the capsule...
898
01:02:08,788 --> 01:02:12,750
uh, and they look like little stars,
a whole shower of them coming by.
899
01:02:14,669 --> 01:02:17,213
WOLFE: They were undoubtedly particles
of some sort,
900
01:02:17,505 --> 01:02:20,299
particles that caught the sunlight
at a certain angle.
901
01:02:21,092 --> 01:02:22,218
They were beautiful.
902
01:02:23,970 --> 01:02:25,930
There are literally thousands of them.
903
01:02:26,931 --> 01:02:28,641
WOLFE: But were they coming
from the capsule?
904
01:02:29,016 --> 01:02:30,226
That could mean trouble.
905
01:02:37,275 --> 01:02:40,486
WOLFE: They swirled around his capsule
like tiny weightless diamonds,
906
01:02:40,695 --> 01:02:44,031
little bijoux, no?
They were more like fireflies.
907
01:02:45,408 --> 01:02:47,618
GLENN: Uh, now that I am out
in the bright sun,
908
01:02:47,994 --> 01:02:49,912
uh, they seem to have disappeared.
909
01:02:59,547 --> 01:03:01,132
LAUNCH STAFF:
Flight from data reduction.
910
01:03:01,757 --> 01:03:02,758
Go ahead.
911
01:03:18,190 --> 01:03:19,233
(ALARM BLINKING)
912
01:03:19,442 --> 01:03:22,611
LAUNCH STAFF: Uh, Friendship 7, uh, we
have been reading, uh,
913
01:03:22,695 --> 01:03:26,741
indication on the ground on segment 51,
which is landing bag deploy.
914
01:03:27,074 --> 01:03:29,910
Uh, we suspect this is
an erroneous signal.
915
01:03:34,623 --> 01:03:37,251
WOLFE: If the landing bag had deployed,
and there was no way
916
01:03:37,335 --> 01:03:39,003
he could look out and see it,
917
01:03:39,295 --> 01:03:43,174
not even with the periscope
because it would be directly behind him,
918
01:03:43,382 --> 01:03:46,802
if it had deployed,
then the heat shield must be loose,
919
01:03:47,136 --> 01:03:49,180
and might come off during reentry.
920
01:03:50,514 --> 01:03:55,936
If the heat shield came off, he would
burn up inside the capsule like a steak.
921
01:03:58,606 --> 01:04:02,401
REPORTER: When the, uh, craft does begin
to encounter denser atmosphere
922
01:04:02,485 --> 01:04:07,156
that temperature we were talking about
will mount up to about 3,000 degrees.
923
01:04:07,406 --> 01:04:11,327
That will occur at approximately
25 miles altitude.
924
01:04:12,161 --> 01:04:17,083
And at that point, the spacecraft will be
moving at about 15,000 miles an hour.
925
01:04:17,500 --> 01:04:20,669
The craft will sustain temperature
of that amount for about two minutes,
926
01:04:21,128 --> 01:04:25,466
and the problem will be to have
it absorbed by the heat shield,
927
01:04:25,549 --> 01:04:30,221
which is made of a very special sort of
plastic material that will burn off.
928
01:04:33,933 --> 01:04:36,435
LAUNCH STAFF: Can you give him
that message please, Linus?
929
01:04:36,644 --> 01:04:37,853
Roger, we can do.
930
01:04:39,480 --> 01:04:41,232
SHEPARD: Uh, Seven, this is Cape. Over?
931
01:04:41,941 --> 01:04:45,236
We're not sure whether
or not your landing bag has deployed.
932
01:04:45,611 --> 01:04:50,366
Uh, we feel it's far safer to re-enter
with the retro package on.
933
01:04:50,783 --> 01:04:55,162
Uh, we see no difficulty at this time
in that type of reentry. Over.
934
01:04:55,496 --> 01:04:58,124
Uh, this is Friendship 7.
Now, what is the reason for this?
935
01:04:58,207 --> 01:04:59,667
Do you have any reason? Over.
936
01:05:05,381 --> 01:05:08,092
DAVIS: There had been some trouble
with the heat shield equipment
937
01:05:08,592 --> 01:05:12,179
over Hawaii, and they have taken
a precautionary measure
938
01:05:12,263 --> 01:05:15,808
to keep the heat shield equipment
on with the retro package for a while,
939
01:05:16,267 --> 01:05:19,478
to make sure that the warning
they got was a false warning.
940
01:05:19,854 --> 01:05:23,941
And so, the heat shield retro packet
was kept on the space capsule,
941
01:05:24,275 --> 01:05:26,026
and, uh, precautions were taken.
942
01:05:26,652 --> 01:05:30,197
Uh, this is Friendship 7, uh, going
to reentry attitude then in that case.
943
01:05:31,532 --> 01:05:33,367
REPORTER: The retro packet
and the retrorockets
944
01:05:33,492 --> 01:05:35,202
we talk about are really brakes.
945
01:05:35,619 --> 01:05:40,541
John Glenn's capsule was in space
with the large blunt end, facing forward,
946
01:05:40,624 --> 01:05:43,794
and the retrorockets are
on that blunt end.
947
01:05:44,253 --> 01:05:47,882
And what they are, is they throw
some thrust out forward,
948
01:05:48,090 --> 01:05:51,093
slowing the capsule down,
and that reduces its speed
949
01:05:51,177 --> 01:05:55,264
below orbital velocity, and the capsule
starts to reenter the atmosphere.
950
01:05:56,015 --> 01:05:57,725
All right, roger,
retracting scope manually.
951
01:05:59,351 --> 01:06:03,063
REPORTER: He is in good condition,
and preparing to fire those retrorockets
952
01:06:03,189 --> 01:06:06,275
to begin that long landing flight
towards the Atlantic.
953
01:06:07,526 --> 01:06:12,948
CAPCOM: Five, four, three, two, one, fire.
954
01:06:14,033 --> 01:06:17,745
GLENN: Roger, retros are firing.
Are they ever.
955
01:06:18,162 --> 01:06:19,997
It feels like I'm going back
toward Hawaii.
956
01:06:29,632 --> 01:06:31,133
CAPCOM: Uh, Seven, this is Cape. Over.
957
01:06:32,426 --> 01:06:35,679
-Go ahead, Cape, you're going out.
-(RADIO STATIC)
958
01:06:35,888 --> 01:06:38,015
CAPCOM: Uh, we recommend that you...
959
01:06:47,608 --> 01:06:50,653
LAUNCH STAFF: Friendship 7 spacecraft
is now encountering the atmosphere
960
01:06:51,278 --> 01:06:53,405
off the east coast of Florida.
961
01:06:53,656 --> 01:06:55,491
TOWNSEND: He's over
the east coast of Florida,
962
01:06:55,741 --> 01:06:59,245
and, uh, at the moment,
there is no contact with John Glenn.
963
01:07:01,080 --> 01:07:04,333
GLENN: (INAUDIBLE) I have a
white sand... correction...
964
01:07:04,458 --> 01:07:06,377
CAPCOM: Uh, Seven, this is Cape,
do you read? Over.
965
01:07:13,092 --> 01:07:16,595
POWERS: The Mercury spacecraft
is in its reentry process at this time.
966
01:07:17,137 --> 01:07:19,473
CAPCOM: Uh, Seven, this is Cape,
do you read? Over.
967
01:07:20,641 --> 01:07:23,727
POWERS: We are not receiving any
voice communication at this time.
968
01:07:24,061 --> 01:07:28,399
And we're waiting for the electric moment
when we hear that the main chute
969
01:07:28,482 --> 01:07:31,860
has deployed, and is bringing him
safely back to Earth.
970
01:07:32,278 --> 01:07:34,154
CAPCOM: Friendship 7,
this is Cape, do you read?
971
01:07:38,409 --> 01:07:41,245
(INDISTINCT CLAMOR)
972
01:07:43,622 --> 01:07:49,044
(INTENSE MUSIC PLAYING)
973
01:07:51,547 --> 01:07:54,049
GLENN: This is Friendship 7.
A real fireball outside.
974
01:08:13,360 --> 01:08:17,948
DOWNS: We have not yet seen any sign
of the drogue parachute,
975
01:08:18,032 --> 01:08:21,327
which would appear, it opens up
at about 40,000 feet.
976
01:08:23,704 --> 01:08:24,788
(AIR WHOOSHES LOUDLY)
977
01:08:25,039 --> 01:08:28,167
GLENN: The chute is on green,
chute is out in reef condition
978
01:08:28,250 --> 01:08:31,837
at 10,800 feet and beautiful chute.
979
01:08:32,963 --> 01:08:34,214
Chute looks good.
980
01:08:35,883 --> 01:08:39,136
LAUNCH STAFF: The Destroyer has the
capsule parachute in sight.
981
01:08:39,511 --> 01:08:41,138
-They are talking.
-MALE VOICE: Roger.
982
01:08:41,597 --> 01:08:44,141
TOWNSEND: He should be splashing down
in about 20 seconds from now,
983
01:08:44,224 --> 01:08:45,559
if our advance estimate is correct.
984
01:08:48,771 --> 01:08:50,773
This is Friendship 7,
standing by for impact.
985
01:08:56,654 --> 01:09:00,324
TOWNSEND: Right now,
the Destroyer Noa is coming
986
01:09:00,407 --> 01:09:02,159
right alongside the capsule.
987
01:09:02,409 --> 01:09:06,497
So, within a matter of a very few
minutes, we ought to be getting word
988
01:09:06,747 --> 01:09:10,084
on the pickup of John Glenn
from the Friendship 7.
989
01:09:12,461 --> 01:09:15,297
We have another report now
from Colonel Powers. Here he is.
990
01:09:15,381 --> 01:09:17,466
POWERS: The spacecraft was picked
up clear of the water
991
01:09:17,549 --> 01:09:19,385
at one minute after 3:00,
992
01:09:19,468 --> 01:09:22,346
and finally set down on the deck
at four minutes
993
01:09:22,429 --> 01:09:25,057
after 3:00 this afternoon,
Eastern Standard Time.
994
01:09:27,142 --> 01:09:28,769
SHADEL: We have our reporter,
Dave Nichols,
995
01:09:28,852 --> 01:09:30,771
standing by at Arlington, Virginia,
996
01:09:31,230 --> 01:09:32,523
at the home of Colonel Glenn.
997
01:09:33,982 --> 01:09:37,027
Mrs. Glenn will make an appearance there
for the first time today.
998
01:09:37,986 --> 01:09:40,739
There are several things that... that we
would like to say,
999
01:09:40,823 --> 01:09:42,950
but I would want everyone to know...
1000
01:09:43,992 --> 01:09:47,454
that this is the most wonderful day
for my family, and we're quite...
1001
01:09:47,538 --> 01:09:52,376
we're so proud of our... of their...
their... their father,
1002
01:09:53,043 --> 01:09:56,213
of the... Mercury team...
1003
01:09:57,589 --> 01:10:01,260
of everyone that's made this
such a successful day.
1004
01:10:15,649 --> 01:10:19,611
TOWNSEND: Each orbit took approximately
89 minutes. There were three of them.
1005
01:10:20,154 --> 01:10:24,700
Undoubtedly, the most eventful four hours
and 50 minutes of his entire life.
1006
01:10:28,537 --> 01:10:31,373
GLENN: Perhaps I could've been given
information a little earlier
1007
01:10:31,498 --> 01:10:34,626
and a little more completely
on the heat shield problem
1008
01:10:34,710 --> 01:10:36,378
where they thought it possibly was loose.
1009
01:10:38,130 --> 01:10:40,632
Apparently, there was a very,
very lengthy discussion on this
1010
01:10:40,716 --> 01:10:43,886
that I was unaware of.
And, uh, if I had been aware that
1011
01:10:44,094 --> 01:10:46,346
there was possibly a problem
in this regard,
1012
01:10:46,972 --> 01:10:49,933
I would have been aware to watch
more closely for little bumps
1013
01:10:50,017 --> 01:10:53,020
on the capsule, or anything that
might have given a clue as to our status.
1014
01:10:54,605 --> 01:10:57,024
I was kept reasonably in the dark on this.
1015
01:10:59,151 --> 01:11:02,029
-How do you do, sir? What's your name?
-My name is Oliver Whiting,
1016
01:11:02,112 --> 01:11:03,614
and I'm a British subject, sir.
1017
01:11:03,697 --> 01:11:05,824
That's rather apparent, sir,
what do you think of, uh...
1018
01:11:05,908 --> 01:11:08,202
-Well, I think this is one of...
-...what America and the free world
1019
01:11:08,327 --> 01:11:10,913
-have accomplished today.
-Indeed. I think it's one of the greatest
1020
01:11:11,038 --> 01:11:14,541
scientific advances that has ever taken
place in the lives of anybody
1021
01:11:14,625 --> 01:11:17,336
in this vast concourse. And I would like
to say something,
1022
01:11:17,419 --> 01:11:19,463
-if I may be permitted to do so.
-Please do.
1023
01:11:19,671 --> 01:11:23,759
Well, sir, it's this, I think that
in this scientific age today,
1024
01:11:23,884 --> 01:11:26,512
we have shrunk the surface of the Earth
1025
01:11:26,970 --> 01:11:29,973
to such a state that now
it's a single unit, and we cannot think
1026
01:11:30,057 --> 01:11:32,518
of it as otherwise,
and I hope we never will again.
1027
01:11:41,109 --> 01:11:43,070
CRONKITE: John Glenn arrived
home this morning
1028
01:11:43,153 --> 01:11:45,113
to be met in Florida by his family.
1029
01:11:54,873 --> 01:11:58,502
(CHEERING)
1030
01:12:07,010 --> 01:12:09,096
(MOTORCYCLE ENGINES REV)
1031
01:12:14,017 --> 01:12:16,687
CRONKITE:
John Glenn now points out details
1032
01:12:16,770 --> 01:12:18,814
of the capsule to President Kennedy.
1033
01:12:19,398 --> 01:12:22,401
GLENN: Normally, those retrorockets
are dropped off after firing.
1034
01:12:22,526 --> 01:12:24,903
There was some indication, though,
on the ground
1035
01:12:25,320 --> 01:12:27,906
that the, uh, heat shield might have
come loose,
1036
01:12:28,198 --> 01:12:31,034
and if this had happened, why, of course,
the whole thing would just have
1037
01:12:31,118 --> 01:12:32,870
disintegrated, and burned up.
1038
01:12:33,453 --> 01:12:36,623
So that was rather...
it was an interesting return.
1039
01:12:36,999 --> 01:12:39,501
Kind of like having a... (INAUDIBLE)
1040
01:12:40,377 --> 01:12:44,006
CRONKITE: Along with some answers,
Glenn's flight produced some questions,
1041
01:12:44,089 --> 01:12:46,550
like the mystery of the tiny
luminous particles
1042
01:12:46,675 --> 01:12:48,719
he reported seeing with each sunrise.
1043
01:12:49,511 --> 01:12:51,346
All I can say about these
is I observed them.
1044
01:12:51,430 --> 01:12:56,768
I saw them for about, from the first
light of sun to a period of some...
1045
01:12:57,519 --> 01:13:01,106
Uh... oh, three and a half, four minutes.
1046
01:13:01,940 --> 01:13:04,776
That time period made
close observation of them.
1047
01:13:05,110 --> 01:13:08,780
Uh, they were very luminous,
a yellowish green color.
1048
01:13:10,032 --> 01:13:13,869
And, uh, as George Ralph, our psychiatrist
listened to this and said,
1049
01:13:14,286 --> 01:13:18,332
-"What did they say, John?"
-(ALL LAUGH)
1050
01:13:18,749 --> 01:13:21,543
People I was sittin' this mornin'
With this on my mind
1051
01:13:22,336 --> 01:13:25,172
Said there ain't no livin' man who go
Around the world three time
1052
01:13:25,505 --> 01:13:27,007
But John Glenn done it
1053
01:13:29,426 --> 01:13:30,427
Yes, he did
1054
01:13:30,510 --> 01:13:33,221
WOLFE: When John Glenn became
the first American to go into Earth orbit,
1055
01:13:33,639 --> 01:13:35,223
there was a ticker tape parade for him.
1056
01:13:35,599 --> 01:13:40,354
The astronauts all remembered
so vividly the sight of New York policemen
1057
01:13:40,437 --> 01:13:42,898
directing traffic in the intersections
for this big parade,
1058
01:13:43,273 --> 01:13:45,817
crying, tears rolling down their cheeks.
1059
01:13:47,527 --> 01:13:49,321
And saying, you know,
"We love you, Johnny,"
1060
01:13:49,404 --> 01:13:51,990
to John Glenn, "We love you."
And I think it was an emotional moment
1061
01:13:52,282 --> 01:13:55,410
in this country's history that has
never been equal since then.
1062
01:13:55,494 --> 01:13:57,996
I don't think we've had a nationwide hero
since John Glenn.
1063
01:13:58,080 --> 01:13:59,414
John Glenn said it
1064
01:13:59,998 --> 01:14:04,670
MALE VOICE: All I can say is that
in my 72 years of life, I, uh,
1065
01:14:04,753 --> 01:14:07,255
never witnessed anything like this before.
1066
01:14:09,883 --> 01:14:13,845
Today, I know that I seem to be standing
alone on this great platform...
1067
01:14:15,555 --> 01:14:17,391
just as I seemed to be alone
in the cockpit
1068
01:14:17,474 --> 01:14:19,142
of the Friendship 7 spacecraft...
1069
01:14:20,477 --> 01:14:21,603
but I'm not.
1070
01:14:22,437 --> 01:14:26,358
There were with me then and with me now,
thousands of Americans,
1071
01:14:26,441 --> 01:14:29,444
and many hundreds of citizens
of many countries around the world.
1072
01:14:31,905 --> 01:14:34,992
As our knowledge of this universe
in which we live increases,
1073
01:14:35,951 --> 01:14:38,996
may God grant us the wisdom
and guidance to use it wisely.
1074
01:14:39,871 --> 01:14:44,626
-Thank you very much.
-(APPLAUSE)
1075
01:14:51,967 --> 01:14:54,386
VON FREMD: This flight was just the
end of the beginning.
1076
01:14:54,469 --> 01:14:57,556
It was the first American orbital flight,
but by no means the last.
1077
01:14:58,306 --> 01:15:01,768
The next one on the schedule should come
about 60 days from now.
1078
01:15:04,813 --> 01:15:09,192
REPORTER: Donald Slayton, known as
Deke, was replaced by M. Scott Carpenter,
1079
01:15:09,359 --> 01:15:14,156
the next astronaut in line for orbit,
because of mild heart palpitations.
1080
01:15:25,625 --> 01:15:26,793
(TAPE STARTS RECORDING)
1081
01:15:27,085 --> 01:15:29,713
WOLFE: Okay, repeat after me,
I went to a wonderful party.
1082
01:15:29,880 --> 01:15:31,465
RENE: I went to a wonderful party.
1083
01:15:31,715 --> 01:15:35,135
-WOLFE: I must say the fun was intense.
-RENE: I must say the fun was intense.
1084
01:15:35,260 --> 01:15:38,513
WOLFE: We all had to do what the people
we knew would be doing 100 years hence.
1085
01:15:38,597 --> 01:15:42,684
RENE: We all had to do what the people we
knew would all be doing 100 years hence.
1086
01:16:27,062 --> 01:16:29,445
RENE: Yeah, I asked. Mm-hmm.
1087
01:16:46,998 --> 01:16:49,000
WOLFE: After a while,
Rene didn't know whether
1088
01:16:49,084 --> 01:16:51,294
it was her modest literary ambitions
1089
01:16:52,129 --> 01:16:56,049
or her resentment of the pat role
of astronaut wife that made her do it.
1090
01:17:19,865 --> 01:17:22,993
After the earlier successes
of Shepard, Grissom, and Glenn,
1091
01:17:23,243 --> 01:17:26,621
Scott Carpenter's mission seemed,
in advance, almost routine.
1092
01:17:27,164 --> 01:17:29,666
Actually, it was our most
ambitious challenge yet.
1093
01:17:30,041 --> 01:17:34,254
It required the pilot to do things
we hadn't dared ask of his predecessors.
1094
01:17:34,379 --> 01:17:37,507
A larger degree of control
and maneuvering the space capsule,
1095
01:17:37,799 --> 01:17:40,552
more tests to help measure the way
things move in space,
1096
01:17:40,802 --> 01:17:43,013
and how they look to a man observing them.
1097
01:17:53,565 --> 01:17:57,444
REPORTER: Now, the astronaut's ready,
and so is everything else.
1098
01:17:58,987 --> 01:18:03,283
LAUNCH STAFF:
Ten, nine, eight, seven, six.
1099
01:18:03,700 --> 01:18:06,203
RENE:
1100
01:18:06,578 --> 01:18:10,665
LAUNCH STAFF:
Zero, ignition. Liftoff.
1101
01:18:13,251 --> 01:18:16,004
LAUNCH STAFF:
Liftoff. Liftoff. The clock has started.
1102
01:18:17,756 --> 01:18:20,425
-Roger.
-CARPENTER: Loud and clear, Gus.
1103
01:18:20,800 --> 01:18:24,012
GRISSOM: Roger, Aurora 7. Standby
for the time hack.
1104
01:18:24,095 --> 01:18:24,971
CARPENTER: Roger.
1105
01:18:30,477 --> 01:18:32,771
RENE:
1106
01:18:44,909 --> 01:18:46,660
(RENE LAUGHS)
1107
01:18:47,702 --> 01:18:48,954
WOLFE:
1108
01:18:49,037 --> 01:18:50,580
RENE:
1109
01:18:50,664 --> 01:18:52,207
WOLFE: Thorns.
1110
01:18:54,417 --> 01:18:55,794
GRISSOM: Roger, Aurora.
1111
01:18:58,296 --> 01:18:59,673
CARPENTER: Clear blue sky.
1112
01:19:28,326 --> 01:19:29,536
(SHUTTER CLICKS)
1113
01:19:30,412 --> 01:19:33,373
CARPENTER:
1114
01:19:33,748 --> 01:19:34,749
(SHUTTER CLICKS)
1115
01:19:34,833 --> 01:19:39,115
CARPENTER:
1116
01:19:56,896 --> 01:19:58,481
CAPCOM:
1117
01:19:58,815 --> 01:20:00,734
CARPENTER:
1118
01:20:05,488 --> 01:20:06,698
CAPCOM:
1119
01:20:07,198 --> 01:20:09,534
CARPENTER:
1120
01:20:13,496 --> 01:20:15,081
CAPCOM:
1121
01:20:15,206 --> 01:20:16,249
CARPENTER:
1122
01:20:18,043 --> 01:20:20,045
CRONKITE:
The crowds at Grand Central New York
1123
01:20:20,503 --> 01:20:21,880
and around the United States...
1124
01:20:23,256 --> 01:20:25,425
wait prayerfully for this moment,
here's Powers.
1125
01:20:25,842 --> 01:20:29,471
POWERS: Our data at this time indicates
that it is distinctly possible that
1126
01:20:29,554 --> 01:20:31,973
the Aurora 7 spacecraft may land
1127
01:20:32,057 --> 01:20:35,143
considerably longer down range
than it was planned.
1128
01:20:35,894 --> 01:20:41,149
Our present estimate of his landing point
may go as far as 200 miles down range.
1129
01:20:44,319 --> 01:20:46,613
WOLFE: Cronkite had been explaining
Scott's fuel problem
1130
01:20:46,738 --> 01:20:48,239
as he entered the atmosphere,
1131
01:20:48,782 --> 01:20:52,660
then Cronkite's voice began to take
on more and more concern.
1132
01:20:53,411 --> 01:20:58,208
We have a very, even more disturbing
report it seems to this reporter here
1133
01:20:58,291 --> 01:21:00,460
from NASA, from space authorities.
1134
01:21:01,044 --> 01:21:04,672
They say they did not pick up
any radar blips
1135
01:21:05,382 --> 01:21:08,301
from the descending spacecraft.
1136
01:21:09,719 --> 01:21:14,474
It almost begs for interpretation
as to what that could mean.
1137
01:21:34,828 --> 01:21:40,417
There has not even been radar contact
with the Aurora 7 since the last contact
1138
01:21:40,500 --> 01:21:42,627
with, uh, Scott Carpenter by voice,
1139
01:21:43,086 --> 01:21:46,756
which was back when he announced
his G forces building
1140
01:21:47,132 --> 01:21:49,092
for the reentry into the atmosphere.
1141
01:21:50,135 --> 01:21:53,304
This is the worst chore this reporter
ever went through,
1142
01:21:54,139 --> 01:21:57,517
trying to fill time when there
is nothing to say, except wait.
1143
01:22:14,576 --> 01:22:17,704
Uh, it would seem that even 200 miles
would not be too far to pick up
1144
01:22:17,787 --> 01:22:19,289
a radar signal.
1145
01:22:27,172 --> 01:22:28,882
(ENGINE REVVING)
1146
01:22:29,090 --> 01:22:32,802
POWERS: A US Navy P2V aircraft
in the landing area
1147
01:22:32,886 --> 01:22:35,054
-has received an electronic contact.
-(BEEPING)
1148
01:22:38,892 --> 01:22:40,101
RENE:
1149
01:22:51,654 --> 01:22:54,032
POWERS: We do not have any further
details at this time,
1150
01:22:54,115 --> 01:22:56,868
except now diverting his aircraft
into that immediate area.
1151
01:22:57,619 --> 01:23:01,873
CRONKITE: Let's go now to Joe Campbell,
who is aboard the USS Intrepid.
1152
01:23:01,956 --> 01:23:04,709
CAMPBELL: Well, we've just received
a happy word that one of the ships'
1153
01:23:04,834 --> 01:23:06,336
own jet helicopters,
1154
01:23:06,628 --> 01:23:08,713
which has been speeding
to the scene of impact,
1155
01:23:09,047 --> 01:23:13,551
has just affected rescue
of astronaut Scott Carpenter,
1156
01:23:13,676 --> 01:23:16,387
and is now proceeding
towards the Intrepid.
1157
01:23:20,683 --> 01:23:24,020
-CRONKITE: Oh, boy.
-(CHEERING)
1158
01:23:25,271 --> 01:23:28,274
CRONKITE: Well, that's the longest
45 minutes we've ever spent.
1159
01:23:29,484 --> 01:23:31,861
Scott Carpenter is out
of the Atlantic Ocean.
1160
01:23:32,529 --> 01:23:36,824
After his four hours and 50 minutes
in space, three hours on the Atlantic,
1161
01:23:36,908 --> 01:23:38,910
bobbing around in that small raft.
1162
01:23:43,039 --> 01:23:45,333
EDWARDS: Well, it started out
like Buck Rogers,
1163
01:23:45,416 --> 01:23:48,503
and wound up like a condensed
version of Robinson Crusoe.
1164
01:23:50,755 --> 01:23:54,300
News of Carpenter's recovery reached
his wife Rene at Cocoa Beach, Florida,
1165
01:23:54,384 --> 01:23:56,803
-the site of space program headquarters.
-RENE: I want to say...
1166
01:23:58,846 --> 01:23:59,764
that...
1167
01:24:00,932 --> 01:24:04,269
the effort... involved...
1168
01:24:05,520 --> 01:24:10,858
in one of these missions...
is such that...
1169
01:24:13,903 --> 01:24:19,158
at the end, we often feel...
emotionally drained...
1170
01:24:21,244 --> 01:24:24,956
and we tend to fall back on...
1171
01:24:27,333 --> 01:24:29,168
the comfortable phrases...
1172
01:24:31,754 --> 01:24:36,843
and words like "happy,"
"proud," "thrilled, "
1173
01:24:38,052 --> 01:24:39,554
and we feel so much more.
1174
01:24:53,484 --> 01:24:59,157
I do want to say... that
I know that this has been hard
1175
01:24:59,240 --> 01:25:03,828
for you not being able
to have... the doorstep...
1176
01:25:05,371 --> 01:25:11,461
but the privacy that it afforded me
was wonderful for me today.
1177
01:25:17,175 --> 01:25:19,552
I think it's thrilling.
I stopped everything, and watched it,
1178
01:25:19,636 --> 01:25:22,305
and the baby was watching it,
and she wanted to go too.
1179
01:25:22,430 --> 01:25:26,267
She's four years old, and she wanted
to go on the trip with the, with the man.
1180
01:25:26,351 --> 01:25:28,978
And when his children and his wife
were on, uh,
1181
01:25:30,021 --> 01:25:31,606
I thought it was real exciting.
1182
01:25:32,440 --> 01:25:35,234
I think everybody was more or less
sitting on the edge
1183
01:25:35,318 --> 01:25:37,153
of their seats until they did find him.
1184
01:25:37,236 --> 01:25:40,948
I think it's wonderful. I think
it's a great thing for this country!
1185
01:25:41,157 --> 01:25:43,451
And believe me,
we're never going to be buried.
1186
01:25:55,463 --> 01:25:57,882
LAUNCH STAFF: Roger, Wally,
you got anything to say to everyone
1187
01:25:57,965 --> 01:25:59,717
watching you across the country
on this thing?
1188
01:25:59,801 --> 01:26:01,052
We're going out live on this.
1189
01:26:02,178 --> 01:26:04,305
SCHIRRA: I'm looking at the United States,
1190
01:26:05,014 --> 01:26:07,684
and starting to pitch up slightly
with this drifting rate.
1191
01:26:08,267 --> 01:26:11,270
And I see the Moon, which I'm sure no one
in the United States can see
1192
01:26:11,354 --> 01:26:12,772
as well as I right now.
1193
01:26:26,160 --> 01:26:29,789
CRONKITE: This flight's scheduled
to be the last of the Mercury Program
1194
01:26:29,872 --> 01:26:32,750
before the Mercury Program ends,
and we begin flights
1195
01:26:32,959 --> 01:26:35,420
in our two-man capsule, the Gemini.
1196
01:26:35,545 --> 01:26:39,382
The intermediate step before we go
to Apollo, and the step to the Moon.
1197
01:26:43,344 --> 01:26:46,556
REPORTER: America's team of astronauts
was increased to 16 today,
1198
01:26:48,099 --> 01:26:51,477
when The Manned Space Center at Houston,
Texas named the men today.
1199
01:26:51,644 --> 01:26:55,273
It was specified that they will be trained
for trips to the Moon.
1200
01:26:58,943 --> 01:27:00,194
We've had a number of these...
1201
01:27:01,028 --> 01:27:03,865
ceremonies at the White House
and at Cape Canaveral to pay tribute
1202
01:27:04,732 --> 01:27:07,118
to a very distinguished group
of Americans, who have in,
1203
01:27:07,452 --> 01:27:12,206
our time, in this rather civil society,
demonstrated that there are...
1204
01:27:13,040 --> 01:27:15,001
great frontiers still to be crossed.
1205
01:27:15,626 --> 01:27:19,589
And in flying through space, they've
carried with them the wishes, the prayers,
1206
01:27:19,714 --> 01:27:23,176
the hopes and the pride of 180 million
of their fellow countrymen.
1207
01:27:26,471 --> 01:27:29,974
I hope that, uh, we will be encouraged
to continue with this program.
1208
01:27:30,641 --> 01:27:33,060
I know that a good many people
say, "Why go to the Moon?"
1209
01:27:33,394 --> 01:27:36,355
Just as many people said
to Lindbergh, "Why go to Paris?"
1210
01:27:39,317 --> 01:27:42,445
Lindbergh said, "It's not so much a matter
of logic as it is of feeling."
1211
01:27:47,325 --> 01:27:50,328
I think that the United States has
committed itself to this great adventure
1212
01:27:50,411 --> 01:27:53,998
in the '60s. I think before the end
of the '60s, we will see a man
1213
01:27:54,081 --> 01:27:55,500
on the Moon, an American.
1214
01:27:55,875 --> 01:27:59,045
And I think in so doing, it's not nearly
that we're interested in making
1215
01:27:59,128 --> 01:28:02,632
this particular journey, but we are
interested in demonstrating
1216
01:28:02,757 --> 01:28:04,967
a dominance of this new sea,
1217
01:28:05,593 --> 01:28:08,763
and making sure that
in this new great adventurous period,
1218
01:28:09,263 --> 01:28:13,309
that the Americans are playing
their great role as they have in the past.
1219
01:28:14,936 --> 01:28:17,313
(DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING)
1220
01:28:33,454 --> 01:28:35,748
(SOFT MUSIC PLAYING)