They threw A LOT of characters at us in forty-two minutes (give or take a commercial). So I’m sorry if I don’t know everyone’s name right off the bat. The astronauts and their wives should be easy because—hey—they are historical people. I can look up their names.
Let’s begin.
It’s May 5, 1961 and a rocket carrying Alan Shepherd has just been launched by NASA. If all goes well, Shepherd will be the first American in space. As the rocket climbs into the sky, the camera pulls out into a living room.
Sitting on the couch, holding her breath, is Louise Shepherd. She watches her husband slip beyond Earth as a man sitting next to her asks her for a comment. He’s a reporter for Life, who has the exclusive interview with Mrs. Shepherd. Louise doesn’t say anything.
