The Right Stuff — Season 1
The simmering anxieties of the Cold War fueled a sense of unease across America in the opening season. Determined to counter this national mood of fear and perceived weakness, the U.S. government launched NASA's Project Mercury – a bold initiative that instantly sparked a fierce space race with the Soviet Union. Suddenly, a select group of daring military test pilots found themselves thrust into the spotlight as unlikely heroes, transformed into overnight celebrities by the promise of reaching for the stars.
The year is 1959. Russia’s ascendance in the space race compels the United States to establish NASA. From the world's finest test pilots, a cohort is selected – the men who will become the Mercury Astronauts. Among them are John Glenn, the …
The media swarmed, intruding upon the astronauts' private lives. Shepard and Gordo seemed to shrink under the glare of attention, while Glenn flourished. He negotiated a lucrative arrangement with Life Magazine, securing exclusive access to…
Following unsettling episodes of vertigo, Shepard seeks the counsel of Dee O’Hara. Elsewhere, Cocoa Beach has blossomed from a deserted locale into a vibrant hub of revelry. Gordo finds himself drawn to another woman's allure. Glenn, seekin…
Following a test flight marred by a rocket malfunction, the Mercury Seven astronauts journey home for Christmas. For Alan Shepard, the holidays prove complicated; his parents' unexpected visit coincides with the arrival of Louise’s niece. G…
Trudy encountered Jerrie Cobb and received an invitation to join the pioneering corps of female astronauts. The Mercury Seven were dispatched to San Diego for a round of public appearances, but the initial enthusiasm waned when Shepard was …
President Kennedy dispatched a science committee to Cape Canaveral, tasked with evaluating the viability of the burgeoning space program. Alan Shepard, stung by the outcome of a recent advisory vote, penned letters to political figures voic…
The night before launch, Louise discovers Shepard's infidelity in Tijuana. Trudy watches as Gordo makes a cynical remark about women astronauts on television. Glenn anticipates the inevitable sting of public knowledge that he will not be th…
Following his momentous journey into space, Shepard found himself strangely adrift, a restlessness settling upon him. Taking note of Glenn's counsel, he sought to temper his ambition with a deep sense of gratitude for his wife and children.…
