From the Earth to the Moon

We choose to go to the moon.

We choose to go to the moon.

We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things,

not because they are easy but because they are hard.

- Look at that. - That's beautiful.

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

For most of human history, a voyage to the moon was the fantasy

of the addle-brained or foolhardy,

for only divine beings and supermen could make the journey.

But then humans went aloft on mechanical wings,

defying gravity and redefining the realm of possibility,

and the moon was within the grasp

of whoever would build the machine to take them there.

The main requirement for making the fantasy a fact? Perseverance.

The wherewithal to solve the problems one by one

over the long course of the endeavour.

Problems such as how to make that first exploratory leap

into the lifeless void of outer space.

For without surviving that, no one would ever dare make

the foolhardy yet divine voyage from the Earth to the moon.

- What do you do here at the base, sir? - I'm an astronaut.

Are you one of the seven astronauts that have been chosen?

That's right. I'm one of the seven.

They're gonna shoot me out into space, into the blue.

Up above buildingsl

Now, sir, just one moment. One moment.

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

- Sir, may I ask you something? - Sure.

I saw the pictures of the seven astronauts that appeared in Life.

- You saw them, yeah. - You are not among them.

None of them are them.

- You mean those are not the real... - No, those are models.

You see, they can't take pictures of us. We're monkeys, man.

- What do you mean? - Let me explain something.

- Those are seven handsome men. - They take pictures of them

so that we're not ashamed for Russia to show such ugly little astronauts.

- You're not a very good-looking man. - No, I'm a monkeyl

Sir, I'm a little disturbed that they're sending you up to be the first man in space.

You seem ill-equipped to be an astronaut.

What do you mean? I got gloves and everything.

There is historic news from behind the Iron Curtain.

Man has traversed the reaches of outer space, and that man is a communist.

Soviet pilot Yuri Gagarin in the spacecraft Vostok I

successfully lifted off the face of the Earth,

flew his craft around the globe in 90 minutes

and landed safely in the Soviet Union.

As with the flight of Sputnik four years ago,

this latest Russian achievement

has caught those in the American space programme by surprise.

The seven astronauts of the Mercury space programme

suddenly find themselves jockeying for second place.

It has been reported that either Gus Grissom,

John Glenn or Alan B Shepard

will be the first to fly the one-man Mercury space capsule.

Just when the flight will take place has been the subject of much speculation.

Tonight President Kennedy is meeting with officials

of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration

to discuss not just why we are losing the space race

but perhaps if it has already been lost.

- The Russian went into orbit. - One orbit, yes.

We can't even match that.

Not yet.

Gentlemen...

The president has been keeping up with your hearings before Congress and committees.

Tonight we can dispense with small talk.

He will want to know how we can catch the Russians, or better, leapfrog them.

We can put a man on the moon before the Russians. How about that?

It will take a concerted national effort.

Something along the lines of the Manhattan Project.

- How much would it cost? - Somewhere between 10 and 20 billion dollars.

Pumping that much cash into the private sector could be popular.

He will ask if there's anything we can do for less of the taxpayers' dollars.

What if we put up a space laboratory of some kind?

They'll beat us.

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

which is all that putting up a space station will demonstrate,

we're going to lose for at least the next five years.

Hugh, were you as sure about this under Eisenhower?

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

Most assuredly, the moon is their ultimate objective.

Red moon, huh? Who wants that hanging over our heads?

As head of the president's science advisory,

I've gotta tell him that politics aside,

there's no reason to put a man on the moon.

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

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

and tour the world with them for propaganda purposes.

You don't need to send a man a quarter of a million miles away to do that.

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

Certainly the president realises that the moment a man steps on the moon

will be a definitive one in the history of the world.

Especially when he sticks Old Glory in it and salutes.

He's ready for us.

Can the president count on anything in the immediate future?

Yes, 2nd May. We'll have an American up on 2nd May.

- Command carrier on. - Roger. Comman carrier on.

Turn off telemetry transmitters when sep is complete.

Roger. Flight transmitters are off.

Summary status check.

Check ALO switch position.

Roger. ALO switch position on.

Liftoff is on.

We have ignition.

We have liftoff.

- You're on your way, José. - Roger.

Liftoff, and the clock has started.

This is Freedom 7 I Fuel is gol 1.2G

Cabin pressure 1 4psi.

Oxygen is gol Freedom 7, it is still gol

Roger. Copy.

This is 7. Fuel is gol

1. 8G. 8psi, cabin, and the oxygen is go.

Cabin pressure holding at 5.5.

Cabin holding at 5.5.

Cabin valves sealed. Environment's holding.

I understand. Cabin holding at 5.5.

We are still go, CAPCOM.

Fuel is gol 2.5G. Cabin, 5.5.

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

- OK, it's a lot smoother now. - Roger. We are at max speed.

Fuel is go. 5.5, cabin. Oxygen is go.

All systems are go.

All systems are go. The trajectory is OK.

Tower jettison. Cap sep green.

- Flight, we'll be coming up at zero G. - Very good.

I'll turn jet off, and the turnaround has started.

ASCS is OK. No movement.

Roger.

OK. I have got a visual on the periscope.

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

Cloud cover over Florida. Three to four tenths near the eastern coast.

I can see Okeechobee, identify Andros Island, identify the reefs.

Manual flight control. Roll and yaw are OK.

Feels great to fly. Start retro sequence.

In retro attitude.

- Control is smooth. - Roger.

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

Retro fire.

- Retro one, very smooth. - Roger.

- Retro two. - Retro two.

Retro three. All three retros are fired.

- All right on the button. - Retro jettison is red to arm.

- CAPCOM, go fly by wire. - Switching to fly by wire.

- Fly by wire. - Roger!

- All is OK. - Roger.

Roger. I do not have a light.

Understand that you do not have a light.

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

- I will use override. - Roger.

OK, buster, re-entry. ASCS normal.

- Roger. - Periscope is retracting.

- ASCS is OK. - Understand.

- Switching to UHF on radio. - On UHF. Back to UHF.

OK, this is Freedom 7. G buildup.

Three.

Six.

Nine!

Eleven!

OKI

OK.

1 1.5 max G.

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

30,000 feet.

OK.

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

The drogue is freed at 21,000 feet.

I've got 70% auto, 90% manual.

Oxygen is still OK.

CAPCOM, can you read?

CAPCOM, can you read?

- I read. - How do you read now?

CAPCOM, glad to be here aboard.

The main chute is green.

Main chute is green. Main chute is goodl

All right. All right. All right.

Rate of descent is about 35 feet per second.

I'm at 7,000 feet. Landing bag is on green. My peroxide is dumped.

My condition is good.

Mr Speaker. The President of the United States.

Mr Webb, Dr Gilruth is here.

- Bob. - Hey.

He's just getting into it.

Good. Can you turn it up, please, Jim?

... their large rocket engines, which gives them many months of lead time,

and recognising the likelihood that they will exploit this lead for some time to come

in still more impressive success.

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

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

we can guarantee that any failure to make this effort will make us last.

I therefore ask the Congress

above and beyond the increases I requested for space activities

to provide the funds needed to meet the following national goals.

First, I believe that this nation should commit itself

to achieving the goal before this decade is out

of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the Earth.

There can be no space project in this period that will be more impressive to mankind

or more important for the long-range exploration of space

and none will be so difficult or expensive to accomplish.

- Whoa, buster. - They sure didn't waste any time.

If we had gotten Shepard into space before Gagarin, it'd be over.