Astronauts Number 1
Astronauts Number 1
The story of the selection and training of the seven Mercury astronauts is presented. A re-release of US Project Mercury.
Astronauts Number 1
Title credits, "NASA Lewis Educational TV." w/countdown. NASA logo. Montage of Astronauts & training. Text, "The Astronauts," "U.S. Project Mercury." MCU LYNN BONDURANT introduction of Project Mercury.
Astronauts Number 1
TLS/HA astronauts standing at podium at press conference, 1959. TLSs rocket launch. MCU siren w/flashing light. TLS rocket about to launch at night, launches (carrying a satellite another will carry a man VO states)
Astronauts Number 1
Montage of Astronaut in helmet, eyes up & rocket launch. Nice p.o.v. shot from rocket launching, ground below as it speeds upward. VO talks about man's exploratory nature. MS space capsule being tested. TLS rocket launch. MS capsule falling w/parachute opening. TLS jets taking off and getting into formation. VO talks about how astronauts were chosen. MS jet airplanes taking off. MS jet airplanes being prepared. VO goes into qualifications for astronauts. (military, flight hours, graduate of air school, 5'11 or less, under 40, engineering BG)
Astronauts Number 1
TLS airport hangar. CU test being taken. VO talks about those who were asked to come to Washington to be tested and which were cut. VO goes into testing location & details. MCU lab work. VO states things that would be measured. (all at Lovelace clinic)
Astronauts Number 1
CU body w/electrodes attached to measure heart rate. VO states how heart rate will be monitored in space. (VO then to be sent to Dayton Ohio for more testing. CU astronaut candidate having monitors attached to chest, before rides centrifuge. MS centrifuge spinning. MCU being removed from centrifuge. MCU candidate in chair w/blindfold, test for equilibrium to keep chair stable. CU feet going into ice water. (to check its effects) CU Rorschach cards to test personality. CU photos of life events. CU cards for memory test.
Astronauts Number 1
CU block game w/timer. MCUs Montage of more tests; stepping up stair, walking, pressure chamber. VO states that seven men emerged from testing as project mercury astronauts. MS suit & tied men exiting building, seven. MCU seven men looking at space capsule. CU DONALD K. SLAYTON in cockpit. CU ALAN B. SHEPARD JR.. CU WALTER M. SCHIRRA JR.. CU VIRGIL I. GRISSOM. CU JOHN H. GLENN JR.. CU LEROY G. COOPER JR.. CU MALCOLM SCOTT CARPENTER.
Astronauts Number 1
LS training center. MS astronauts in classroom. MCU JOHN H. GLENN JR. unrolling blueprints. MCU astronaut in cockpit of fighter jet. VO states of importance of maintaining proficiency in high performance aircraft. MS astronauts looking at model of spacecraft. MCU astronaut in spacesuit being strapped into centrifuge. MCU astronauts watching. VO states that their were hours of class work.
Astronauts Number 1
CU boots. VO goes into details of spacesuit. MCU/pan of spacesuit. MCU astronaut trying on suit. MCU men testing it. MCU contraption that demonstrates possible tumbling motion of capsule in space. TLS plane being loaded, flying. LS p.o.v. capsule being dropped from high altitude. LS capsule falling w/open parachute.
Astronauts Number 1
MCU astronaut being closed into a box. VO to prepare for heat of re-entry. CU WALTER M. SCHIRRA JR in capsule licking lips & sweating. TLS in projection room. CU footage of astronauts (B/W) at Cape Canaveral. MCU individual astronauts and their area of specialty; VIRGIL I. GRISSOM, LEROY G. COOPER, ALAN B. SHEPARD JR., JOHN H. GLENN JR., MALCOLM SCOTT CARPENTER, DONALD K. SLAYTON. LS/HA men looking up at a launch.
Astronauts Number 1
TLS rocket unable to get off the ground. (VO simulation of failure w/capsule ejecting & floating w/parachute into water) MCU astronaut gets into temperature raising device, to check their response to heat. VO states who is speaking and what happens.
Astronauts Number 1
MS astronauts in a submarine simulation. VO states similarities between capsule and sub. MCU astronauts in simulation, suit and ties doing work on pads of paper. CU men climbing out of simulator; DONALD K. SLAYTON, ALAN B. SHEPARD JR. WALTER M. SCHIRRA JR. VIRGIL I. GRISSOM, JOHN H. GLENN JR., LEROY G. COOPER JR., MALCOLM SCOTT CARPENTER. MCU man in lab coat handling animals for space research. MCU working on molding of astronauts for safety in cockpit. MS astronaut helped out of position.
Astronauts Number 1
CU JOHN H. GLEN JR. in centrifuge, VIRGIL I. GRISSOM, ALAN B. SHEPARD JR. MSs astronauts w/scuba gear under water. MS WALTER M. SHIRRA JR. & ALAN B SHEPARD JR. emerging from the water onto beach.
Astronauts Number 1
MS two astronauts under water. VO states importance of under water training and its similarities to space flight. MCU astronaut in flight doing somersaults in zero gravity. VO goes over details of flight and reentry w/animation.
Astronauts Number 1
More animation of re-entry.
Astronauts Number 1
TLSs Atlas and capsule, rocket launching. VO states what happened. MS astronauts walking towards the capsule. CU LYNN BONDURANT closing, credits.