The Astronaut Wives Club (2015) s01e10 Episode Script
Landing
1 Previously on "The Astronaut Wives Club" Apollo 8 has just left the earth's gravitational pull.
Can you believe it? Rene on TV.
For the first time, man will be traveling to the moon.
I want to go to the moon.
I've been reading about this new Ménière surgery.
You've seen the riots in Harlem.
They're never gonna send up someone who looks like you and me.
I'm flying Beverly to Dallas.
I'm not sure how I feel about you being away so much.
I'm not asking for your permission.
Nothing is gonna bring Gus and the boys back.
But if someone's responsible, they need to be held to it.
How do I feel? I mean, it's the moon.
I'm thrilled.
Proud.
Happy.
Trudy, this is a documentary, so the idea is that it's real.
Oh! We did think there would be at least one Mercury astronaut on Apollo 11, but Gordo's still going to the moon.
He was back up on Apollo 10, which mean he is right in line to be commander of Apollo 13.
And what about you? You've always had your own ambitions.
How have these years been for you? - Uh - I'm so sorry.
I'm so sorry.
Um Can we take that one back? - Okay.
- You ready? Deke's grounding was awful at the time, but we both found our calling.
I take care of the wives, and Deke calls the shots with the husbands.
He may say differently, but he loves it.
He's like a pig in Sorry.
Guess some things never change.
You can edit that, right? It's all thanks to the Hollins Institute.
They've got this whole new approach that's it's really working.
I can speak m-my children now, and with with John.
I can even work on the campaign.
It must be life-changing.
It it is.
Well, after campaigning with the Glenns and writing my own column, I realized just how much I loved connecting with the public.
So when I was asked to host a segment on a local news program, I said yes.
And, uh, we'll be covering women's issues, of course, in politics, the workplace, sex and marriage.
Speaking of marriage, you and Scott have been separated for quite a while now.
Has that been hard? Uh yes and no.
You know, it's just like everything else in life.
We make it up as we go along.
The moon landing is definitely a thrill.
But Wally and I are exploring some new opportunities of our own.
I'm intrigued.
Can you tell me anything about these opportunities? Well, as Marge used to say, "I'm sorry, but that's classified.
" The fact is, those Apollo 11 boys are standing on Gus' shoulders.
You must be thinking about him a lot as we approach the launch.
Launch or no launch.
I'm always thinking about him.
Ask me something easy.
Alan's vertigo is completely gone, and he's been cleared for flight.
Does this mean he might end up on the moon? Of course.
That's why he had the operation.
He has his eye on Apollo 13.
So he could end up having everything he ever hoped for.
Yes.
And was this adventure with Alan everything you hoped for? I believe you have everything you need.
Want to take a moment? - No.
- Louise.
In what is surely the event of the decade, if not the century, thousands of spectators have descended on Cocoa Beach, Florida, to view the historic launch of Apollo 11.
In the VIP stands, a guest list that includes European royalty, former President Johnson, and comedian Jack Benny.
Sure do wish Gus was here to see this.
I saw Martha Chaffee with her new husband.
Marge, do you really expect me to be thinking about dating on a day like today? - I'm just saying.
- Mm-hmm.
Trudy Cooper? My name is Melinda Ross.
I've been looking for you.
I'm a friend of Beverly Davis'.
Oh, well, nice to meet you.
Beverly told me about your air courier business, and, well, I'm interested in you.
I have a proposal that I think you'd like to hear.
You and I could make history.
Now? No time like the present.
All right.
Captain Shepard? Sir.
I've wanted to be you since I was 3 years old.
What you did in '27 inspired me to be a flyer.
Well, thank you.
And what you did in '61 was pretty inspiring, too.
Thank you.
There you are.
Come sit with us.
Uh, Louise, this is, uh, Charles Lindbergh.
Very nice to meet you.
Nice to meet you.
Um, I think I'm gonna watch from here.
Okay, yeah, sure.
All right.
Excuse me.
Johnny Carson just told me he loved me on "the David Susskind show.
" I can't believe that he watched.
Thank you so much.
Excuse me.
Who was that? She works with a group of investors.
They want to put money into my courier business.
Imagine a woman-owned, woman-piloted fleet, owned by an astronaut's wife.
Well, Trudy, that's fantastic.
That's what you've been waiting for.
It's a big commitment.
Oh, come on.
We're about to walk on the moon.
If you can't dream big now, then when can you? There you guys are.
I've been looking everywhere.
What is that? A portable television.
Which you need why? We're actually here, experiencing history live.
This is better.
It's Wally.
Let's go.
That's right.
We'll be starting the countdown protocol any moment now.
You know, I got to say, I can't believe this moment is finally here.
- And it really is something.
- Indeed.
30 seconds and counting.
Astronauts report it feels good.
T minus 25 seconds.
20 seconds and counting.
T minus 15 seconds.
12, 11, 10, 9 5, 4 zero.
All engines running.
Liftoff.
We have liftoff.
32 minutes past the hour.
Lift off.
There we go.
Apollo 11 is about to move through stage 2 and 3 ignitions.
Now, what can we expect after that, Wally? About a 73-hour wait to reach lunar orbit.
All I can tell you is what I told my kids when we drove from Denver to Disneyland.
"Sit back and enjoy the ride.
" 600 million people around the world that's how many people experts estimate - are tuning in right now - I've got 16 bottles of it.
I'm taking a bath in this stuff tonight.
So, Max, this thing you're working on it's actually going to be on TV? Yes.
The station where I work in San Francisco is funding it.
My wife is actually the producer.
Oh, a wife who's a producer.
Does that mean she's your boss? Technically, yes.
And she's not above firing me if I don't get all these interviews done.
Oh, they're about to land.
Oh.
- landing.
- Sit down, sit down.
Looking, of course, for a target with a wide area of easy-to-navigate terrain.
Roger.
1201 alarm.
We're go.
Same type.
We're go.
Down 2½.
Forward.
Forward 40 feet.
Zavier, they've been working towards this since you was a little boy.
I'm not watching it, mom.
W-what do you mean? It's happening right now.
I've got a test tomorrow.
And the space program is just pro-Nixon propaganda, anyway.
I got to go.
Drifting right.
Okay, engine stop.
We copy you down, Eagle.
Houston, Tranquility Base here.
The Eagle has landed.
They did it.
Man has landed on the moon.
Okay, Neil.
We see you coming down the ladder now.
I'm gonna step off the LM now.
That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.
The world just became a lot bigger.
The question is, what's next? close to it.
It's almost like a powder.
Neil, this is Houston.
We're copying.
Wow.
Oh, my gosh.
Oh, look.
There's Betty.
Oh, well, look who the cat dragged in.
Hello.
Hey, how are you? Can you believe this night? How long's it been since you've seen him? Oh, I don't know.
Months.
Okay, I'm counting on you, sir.
Why don't you stop campaigning and enjoy yourself? All our friends are here.
Honey, I'm gonna win that senate seat.
I can't stop not until the final hour.
I'll leave you to it, then.
- Wilbur, how are you? - Good to see you.
To the moon! We wouldn't be here without Gus, that's for sure.
He was a remarkable man.
We're celebrating him tonight.
To Gus.
Thank you.
That's very kind.
I've been waiting for the right time tonight.
I asked Neil to bring it up To the moon, to honor Gus.
You know he left his patch up there, right? Would you like to dance? Oh, thank you.
Mrs.
Grissom.
You got your eye on someone here tonight? Oh, Alan.
- Please.
- How about me and you? He's a great dancer.
All right.
Whoo! 10 years from now, I'll be paying still.
'Cause Whitey's on the moon.
The man just upped my rent last night.
'Cause whitey's on the moon.
No hot water, no toilets, no lights.
'Cause whitey's on the moon.
I wonder why he's upping me? 'Cause Whitey's on the moon.
Whitey's on the moon! Whitey's on the moon! Whitey's on the moon! Whitey's on the moon! Whitey's on the moon! Whitey's on the moon! Whitey's on the moon! For old time's sake? You never called me back to reschedule our interview.
I told you I'm done.
Louise, I know you better than that.
I'm a completely different person now.
Then sit down and tell me how you've changed.
How long is this song? You're looking like quite the modern woman.
I like it.
How's the apartment? Oh, I love it.
It's right in the middle of town.
Thank God I don't have to mow the lawns or clean out the gutters anymore.
You made me clean out the gutters the last time I came through.
Rene, there's something I've been wanting to tell you.
I, um I've been seeing somebody For a few months now, actually, and I just I just thought you should know.
Well, um Well, that's good.
You should have some company.
You really don't mind? Isn't it strange for you? Well, of course it's strange, Scott.
You're my husband.
But I understand that it's been a while.
And well, you deserve to be happy, and so I'm happy that you're happy.
As I look around this room, I see heroes, heroines, friends, and family.
And I know I'm not just speaking for myself when I say it has been the journey of a lifetime.
I know this fella here would like to say a few words about that.
The man behind Mission Control, Mr.
Chris Kraft.
Ladies and gentlemen, so many dedicated people worked all these years, and I would like to take this time to officially say it has all been worth it.
Have you seen Annie? We have every right to be here! Boo! We have every right to be here! Zavier! What are you doing? He's just a kid! - He's just a kid! - Stop it! Each one of us should be celebrated because we are all a part of this victory.
I just I don't understand how how how you could get caught up with those people.
Caught up? Mrs.
Glenn, we all came down from Berkeley.
I drove the bus.
But you've you've always loved space.
The program's not about space anymore.
This party alone how much did it cost? Taxpayers' money that could have been spent helping people who really need it.
I got to go.
Zavier.
The the moon landing was for everyone.
S-so many people, all kinds of people, came together to make that happen.
Mrs.
Glenn, I don't mean any disrespect, but we've got a bunch of white men deciding where our money goes, patting each other on the back, giving each other medals, when there's a whole world down here.
Don't be like the rest of them and just look the other way.
Yeah, sure.
Apollo 11 was the first step, but Apollo 13 is gonna take us further.
I'm just waiting for Deke to sign off.
It's been a long road, but it's all gonna be worth it.
I couldn't have done it without her, I'll tell you that much.
Could you give us a minute, please? What do you mean, expand the business? They want to invest money, make it national.
This is a huge opportunity.
Babe, we were just on film talking about Apollo 13.
My number's up.
I'm in the rotation.
I know.
That's why I haven't told you.
But, Gordo, this really could change everything.
This is not the right time to be changing everything.
We've gotten all the way here.
We need to stick together and bring it home.
Together, we can achieve the impossible.
We know that now.
And that's why I'm calling on all of you to join me on my campaign.
I have served America for years.
I served during the war.
You know, I-I grew up not far from here.
The numbers aren't changing.
We've had no lift in the 15th district.
I know you've been reluctant to do it, but I think you need to lean on the astronaut thing.
No.
No, that's not why I got into this.
Look, people want a hero.
They need to be inspired.
You know what I mean? Maybe we could ask the voters what's important to them, to their families.
We could listen instead of talk.
People want answers, not questions.
Well, what about the numbers in the 23rd? I thought we really connected there.
Well, the deal's off.
I went to her office yesterday, and I told her no.
The timing just wasn't right with Gordo's flight.
The girls are looking at colleges.
It really would have been too much.
Well, when you're ready, there'll be something else.
Yeah.
Rene Tell me I didn't make a huge mistake.
Gordo? I'll be right back.
What's going on? Gordo! I'm not on Apollo 13.
Then who is? I told you I'd be back in the game.
I never doubted it.
We are going to the moon.
I am going to the moon.
Trudy.
Hi, Louise.
Is Alan home? - Apollo 13 was Gordo's mission.
- Listen, Trudy You haven't flown since 1961, and suddenly you get to jump in front of the line? Hold up a minute.
Oh.
Of course you're here.
Just because you two are best friends, it's not Trudy, it's not Alan's fault.
Hey, Gordo has only himself to blame.
What are you talking about? He stopped taking it seriously, putting his heart into it.
How can you say that? The space program is everything to him.
Or it's everything to you.
You know how he's been w-with the car racing and the boats and the treasure-hunting business.
Hey.
He let himself get distracted.
I'm sorry.
I talked to Alan and Deke.
What did you do that for? I'm done.
- We're moving on to better things.
- What things? Racing cars? Hey, this could be a profitable business if I treated it as more than a hobby.
Maybe now I will.
Gordo.
I spent the last decade of my life helping you get to the moon.
Please don't tell me that goal was more important to me than it was to you.
I'm sorry things aren't working out how we planned.
But Deke's made his decision, and I've made mine.
At a certain point, a man's got to draw the line, say enough is enough.
And what about a woman? When does she draw the line? Is that some kind of threat? It just might be.
All right.
So, we're all set.
Here's your apron.
The pineapple cake is pre-baked, so you don't have to make anything.
Just go through the motions.
O-oh, but I'm not doing the cooking segment.
We talked about this.
I'm going to be discussing women's issues.
I've already prepared all of my notes.
Yeah.
The boss read them, and he wants pineapple cake.
Sorry.
He's the one who approves the segment.
Hey, cooking's a woman's issue, right? We're on in 10.
Sorry I'm late.
What'd I miss? Listen to this.
"At the University of Texas, young women embark on their own personal quest to learn who they want to be.
" You mean our daughters don't have to major in husband hunting? I heard Alan's off Apollo 13.
NASA overrode Deke's decision.
They say Alan has a bit more catching up to do.
We're hoping for Apollo 14.
Jim Lovell was backup, wasn't he? He's taking Alan's place? Which means if Gordo hadn't been such an arrogant twit and taken the backup spot himself, he'd be going up now instead of Jim Lovell.
Trudy Couples go through things.
You know, it was so hard when Alan had his Ménière's.
But I stuck by him.
And we're happy now.
Louise Don't take this the wrong way.
But you don't have anything else.
You never wanted it.
I respect that.
You marriage is your whole life.
I'm not like that.
The beauty of pineapple cake is that it sure looks exotic, but it's actually very easy to make.
All you have to do is make sure that your ingredients are blended well.
You know what? Who the hell has time to bake, anyway? As a single woman balancing work and motherhood and getting back out there in the dating world, I say go and pick up something from the store and let's use our time to talk about something that actually matters, like birth control.
How many of you are talking to your friends about the diaphragm? Ladies and gentlemen, this is what a diaphragm looks like.
Now, I'm sure most people don't even know how this actually works, but it catches you-know-what here.
I could demonstrate that with an egg for you like this.
I'm not sure if one has ever been shown on television.
You know, in the moment, I just thought, "to hell with the pineapple cake.
There are more important things to talk about.
" She was great.
Thank you.
You know, you two seem great.
Together, I mean.
Well, uh, our time together was wonderful, and we have four great kids.
But, um but we've gone as far as we can together.
So You don't just say goodbye to your best friend.
So far, Apollo 13's trajectory is right on the preplanned line.
Does look like a good one, doesn't it? Jim reporting that the booster engine has shut down right on schedule.
They're entering the earth's orbit now.
Well, things continue to look very good as we end our program.
Launches don't even get a full day of programing any more.
two days' time, when Apollo 13 approaches the moon.
Till then, from all of us here You got 66.
5 That's Jack Swigert.
I bet he'll get even more eligible once he walks on the moon.
Bachelor astronaut.
The whole reason I came back to Gordo was because he had to be married.
You made it.
We did.
Who are you? - Hi.
Henry.
- Ooh.
Henry's a lawyer.
Here's the girls.
Hi, girls.
A lawyer.
He knows someone who specializes in negligence suits.
We're gonna sue.
Mm.
I'm just saying you need to think this over.
What happened to Gus was a horrible, unthinkable thing, but suing NASA? It's actually North American we'd be suing, the company who built the capsule.
Even worse.
A big corporation like that? You will spend every cent you have, and they will crush you.
I don't care about the money.
I just want them to admit they're responsible.
You know, I looked everything over.
I think she really does have a case.
I'm sorry.
Who are you? I love New York.
Of course, I miss the other wives terribly, but, well, life goes on.
We can't just sit around holding each other's hands forever, now, can we? You have a phone call, sir.
Excuse me.
Thank you.
Is everything okay? We need you back in the studio as soon as you can.
There's been an explosion on Apollo 13.
America is watching breathlessly as the challenges just keep coming for the crew of Apollo 13.
It's hard to believe.
First the explosion on the command module yesterday, and then the oxygen leak.
Jim Lovell, Jack Swigert, and Fred Haies are using the lunar module Aquarius as a life raft.
And with limited power, they've managed to use the moon's gravitational pull to slingshot a course back to earth.
And now this.
Carbon dioxide.
I don't understand.
All three of them are crammed into Aquarius, the lunar module.
But it's only designed for two men, not three.
They don't have enough lithium canisters to clean the Co2 out of the air.
Toxicity levels are rising.
"Toxicity"? Roger, Aquarius.
Stand by.
It means they have to find a way to get the Co2 levels down.
Or? Or they'll suffocate.
What about the canisters in the command capsule? Can't they retrieve those and use them? No.
They're not compatible with the system on Aquarius.
Connectors won't fit.
Then what's our solution?! Come on.
All right, I want every single tech and engineer we got in the conference room now.
I want exact inventory of everything aboard Aquarius on that table.
Let's move.
I'm gonna get Mattingly in the simulator and see what he can do.
Deke, I need to give some kind of official word.
Yeah, we're working on it.
Car is waiting.
We're missing traffic.
We should make it to the meet-and-greet just in time.
Exactly what kind of conversations are happening in Mission Control right now? Well, Jim, I can honestly say that in the history of the space program, we've never faced a situation as dire as this on a mission.
We've had automatic I can't think about a campaign right now.
I have to stay and watch the news.
equipment status, fuel shortages.
But these are all issues that a test pilot faces time and time again and overcomes.
This is their last option.
They have to find a way to use whatever they have on board tape, pens, whatever to fit a square lithium canister into a round socket.
Is that even possible? I really don't know.
We'll be right back.
I don't know if I can do this, Jo.
I should be down there, with them, helping.
Well, you're here, and you are helping.
The country needs some hope, and you're the face of that hope.
Half our job has always been public relations.
This is where you need to be.
I've got an idea! I've got an idea.
Take one of the LCGs and cut off the outer bag along the heat seal.
I don't understand.
They're using a hose from a space suit to connect the canister like like this.
Could that actually work? If it does, the Co2 levels will go down right away.
We've secured the canister.
All right.
Uh, waiting for the numbers down here.
Ladies and gentlemen, we are still awaiting word to see if the operation to connect the lithium canisters to the air supply has been a success.
We expect some report on that momentarily.
Houston, we are reading .
2 on our Co2 sets here.
We're all delighted.
It seems to be working fine.
I love my job! Hey.
It's me.
It worked.
Yeah.
Yeah.
They're fine.
He's gonna be okay.
Ladies and gentlemen, we have just received a report confirming that the operation to connect the lithium canisters to the air supply was a success.
The crew are all safe.
Listen I can only guess how you feel most of the time.
But if you need to sue Sue the hell out of them.
I will stand by you no matter what.
- You get some sleep, okay? - I will.
- Marilyn, I'll call you.
- Thank you.
Trudy? You were really amazing tonight.
Marilyn wouldn't have got through it without you.
None of us would.
Thank you.
I'll see you later, okay? I'm sorry.
I haven't been fair to you.
- It's it's okay.
- I don't I don't want you to get a divorce because I don't want to see you go.
I finally feel like I've got someplace where I belong.
Now it's all ending.
And when I think about the future All I can think about is is how much I'm gonna miss you.
I'll miss you, too.
When we met, all I wanted to do was to keep to myself.
But I'm terrified of that thought.
Well, you don't have to worry, because the Louise Shepard who annoyed the heck out of me back then Would never even be having this conversation.
We're all different people now.
We changed.
And we changed each other.
There's no going back.
You promise? When the program started, I I felt like I was floating in space, alone in a dark, silent void.
For me, the the journey to the moon was was never about reaching for the stars.
It was about returning from them About coming home and finding myself, my friends, down here.
And I wouldn't change any of it.
I wish we had met when we were 20.
Maybe things would have worked out differently for us.
You would have hated me at 20.
I'm glad we met when we did.
And that things worked out That we made the choices we did.
In the years following Apollo 13, the journey only continued for the wives of the Mercury seven.
Alan was the only Mercury astronaut to make it to the moon.
Trudy! Louise remained active in the astro-wife community even after Alan retired.
It's been a long way, but we're here.
She and Alan were married for 53 years and died within weeks of each other.
Jo remained happily married to Wally as he became a TV spokesperson and ran various businesses.
Whoo! I couldn't shop in a store or order in a restaurant, read a bedtime story to my children.
Annie became an active and devoted spokeswoman for a multitude of causes.
John lost his Senate Race in 1970, but ran again in 1974 and won, retiring in 1999.
would turn away from me in public.
Trudy divorced Gordo and eventually started her own successful career business.
Some male officers believe that female officers don't have the physical strength to support them while on the job.
Rene was given her own nationally syndicated talk show where she was finally able to speak her mind.
She and Scott stayed on good terms until his death in 2013.
I sure hope we're offending enough people today.
Marge continued to be a ringleader for subsequent waves of astronaut wives, living up to the moniker "Mother Marge.
" In 1975, Deke got medical clearance to fly and became the oldest person at the time to go into space.
It's not about money.
It's not even about justice, 'cause the only just thing would be bringing Gus and the boys back, and that's not gonna happen.
Betty went through with her suit against North American and won a settlement for herself and the other two Apollo 1 widows.
It's about truth.
She never remarried.
Bye.
I love you.
I love you.
Go get 'em.
I couldn't miss this.
This is all that matters.
Okay.
I'm gonna go.
I love you all.
Six manned moon landings succeeded in the Apollo program.
Of the 30 space couples in the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo programs, only seven marriages survived.
23 years after Dr.
Lovelace qualified 13 women for astronaut training, Sally Ride went into space.
Can you believe it? Rene on TV.
For the first time, man will be traveling to the moon.
I want to go to the moon.
I've been reading about this new Ménière surgery.
You've seen the riots in Harlem.
They're never gonna send up someone who looks like you and me.
I'm flying Beverly to Dallas.
I'm not sure how I feel about you being away so much.
I'm not asking for your permission.
Nothing is gonna bring Gus and the boys back.
But if someone's responsible, they need to be held to it.
How do I feel? I mean, it's the moon.
I'm thrilled.
Proud.
Happy.
Trudy, this is a documentary, so the idea is that it's real.
Oh! We did think there would be at least one Mercury astronaut on Apollo 11, but Gordo's still going to the moon.
He was back up on Apollo 10, which mean he is right in line to be commander of Apollo 13.
And what about you? You've always had your own ambitions.
How have these years been for you? - Uh - I'm so sorry.
I'm so sorry.
Um Can we take that one back? - Okay.
- You ready? Deke's grounding was awful at the time, but we both found our calling.
I take care of the wives, and Deke calls the shots with the husbands.
He may say differently, but he loves it.
He's like a pig in Sorry.
Guess some things never change.
You can edit that, right? It's all thanks to the Hollins Institute.
They've got this whole new approach that's it's really working.
I can speak m-my children now, and with with John.
I can even work on the campaign.
It must be life-changing.
It it is.
Well, after campaigning with the Glenns and writing my own column, I realized just how much I loved connecting with the public.
So when I was asked to host a segment on a local news program, I said yes.
And, uh, we'll be covering women's issues, of course, in politics, the workplace, sex and marriage.
Speaking of marriage, you and Scott have been separated for quite a while now.
Has that been hard? Uh yes and no.
You know, it's just like everything else in life.
We make it up as we go along.
The moon landing is definitely a thrill.
But Wally and I are exploring some new opportunities of our own.
I'm intrigued.
Can you tell me anything about these opportunities? Well, as Marge used to say, "I'm sorry, but that's classified.
" The fact is, those Apollo 11 boys are standing on Gus' shoulders.
You must be thinking about him a lot as we approach the launch.
Launch or no launch.
I'm always thinking about him.
Ask me something easy.
Alan's vertigo is completely gone, and he's been cleared for flight.
Does this mean he might end up on the moon? Of course.
That's why he had the operation.
He has his eye on Apollo 13.
So he could end up having everything he ever hoped for.
Yes.
And was this adventure with Alan everything you hoped for? I believe you have everything you need.
Want to take a moment? - No.
- Louise.
In what is surely the event of the decade, if not the century, thousands of spectators have descended on Cocoa Beach, Florida, to view the historic launch of Apollo 11.
In the VIP stands, a guest list that includes European royalty, former President Johnson, and comedian Jack Benny.
Sure do wish Gus was here to see this.
I saw Martha Chaffee with her new husband.
Marge, do you really expect me to be thinking about dating on a day like today? - I'm just saying.
- Mm-hmm.
Trudy Cooper? My name is Melinda Ross.
I've been looking for you.
I'm a friend of Beverly Davis'.
Oh, well, nice to meet you.
Beverly told me about your air courier business, and, well, I'm interested in you.
I have a proposal that I think you'd like to hear.
You and I could make history.
Now? No time like the present.
All right.
Captain Shepard? Sir.
I've wanted to be you since I was 3 years old.
What you did in '27 inspired me to be a flyer.
Well, thank you.
And what you did in '61 was pretty inspiring, too.
Thank you.
There you are.
Come sit with us.
Uh, Louise, this is, uh, Charles Lindbergh.
Very nice to meet you.
Nice to meet you.
Um, I think I'm gonna watch from here.
Okay, yeah, sure.
All right.
Excuse me.
Johnny Carson just told me he loved me on "the David Susskind show.
" I can't believe that he watched.
Thank you so much.
Excuse me.
Who was that? She works with a group of investors.
They want to put money into my courier business.
Imagine a woman-owned, woman-piloted fleet, owned by an astronaut's wife.
Well, Trudy, that's fantastic.
That's what you've been waiting for.
It's a big commitment.
Oh, come on.
We're about to walk on the moon.
If you can't dream big now, then when can you? There you guys are.
I've been looking everywhere.
What is that? A portable television.
Which you need why? We're actually here, experiencing history live.
This is better.
It's Wally.
Let's go.
That's right.
We'll be starting the countdown protocol any moment now.
You know, I got to say, I can't believe this moment is finally here.
- And it really is something.
- Indeed.
30 seconds and counting.
Astronauts report it feels good.
T minus 25 seconds.
20 seconds and counting.
T minus 15 seconds.
12, 11, 10, 9 5, 4 zero.
All engines running.
Liftoff.
We have liftoff.
32 minutes past the hour.
Lift off.
There we go.
Apollo 11 is about to move through stage 2 and 3 ignitions.
Now, what can we expect after that, Wally? About a 73-hour wait to reach lunar orbit.
All I can tell you is what I told my kids when we drove from Denver to Disneyland.
"Sit back and enjoy the ride.
" 600 million people around the world that's how many people experts estimate - are tuning in right now - I've got 16 bottles of it.
I'm taking a bath in this stuff tonight.
So, Max, this thing you're working on it's actually going to be on TV? Yes.
The station where I work in San Francisco is funding it.
My wife is actually the producer.
Oh, a wife who's a producer.
Does that mean she's your boss? Technically, yes.
And she's not above firing me if I don't get all these interviews done.
Oh, they're about to land.
Oh.
- landing.
- Sit down, sit down.
Looking, of course, for a target with a wide area of easy-to-navigate terrain.
Roger.
1201 alarm.
We're go.
Same type.
We're go.
Down 2½.
Forward.
Forward 40 feet.
Zavier, they've been working towards this since you was a little boy.
I'm not watching it, mom.
W-what do you mean? It's happening right now.
I've got a test tomorrow.
And the space program is just pro-Nixon propaganda, anyway.
I got to go.
Drifting right.
Okay, engine stop.
We copy you down, Eagle.
Houston, Tranquility Base here.
The Eagle has landed.
They did it.
Man has landed on the moon.
Okay, Neil.
We see you coming down the ladder now.
I'm gonna step off the LM now.
That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.
The world just became a lot bigger.
The question is, what's next? close to it.
It's almost like a powder.
Neil, this is Houston.
We're copying.
Wow.
Oh, my gosh.
Oh, look.
There's Betty.
Oh, well, look who the cat dragged in.
Hello.
Hey, how are you? Can you believe this night? How long's it been since you've seen him? Oh, I don't know.
Months.
Okay, I'm counting on you, sir.
Why don't you stop campaigning and enjoy yourself? All our friends are here.
Honey, I'm gonna win that senate seat.
I can't stop not until the final hour.
I'll leave you to it, then.
- Wilbur, how are you? - Good to see you.
To the moon! We wouldn't be here without Gus, that's for sure.
He was a remarkable man.
We're celebrating him tonight.
To Gus.
Thank you.
That's very kind.
I've been waiting for the right time tonight.
I asked Neil to bring it up To the moon, to honor Gus.
You know he left his patch up there, right? Would you like to dance? Oh, thank you.
Mrs.
Grissom.
You got your eye on someone here tonight? Oh, Alan.
- Please.
- How about me and you? He's a great dancer.
All right.
Whoo! 10 years from now, I'll be paying still.
'Cause Whitey's on the moon.
The man just upped my rent last night.
'Cause whitey's on the moon.
No hot water, no toilets, no lights.
'Cause whitey's on the moon.
I wonder why he's upping me? 'Cause Whitey's on the moon.
Whitey's on the moon! Whitey's on the moon! Whitey's on the moon! Whitey's on the moon! Whitey's on the moon! Whitey's on the moon! Whitey's on the moon! For old time's sake? You never called me back to reschedule our interview.
I told you I'm done.
Louise, I know you better than that.
I'm a completely different person now.
Then sit down and tell me how you've changed.
How long is this song? You're looking like quite the modern woman.
I like it.
How's the apartment? Oh, I love it.
It's right in the middle of town.
Thank God I don't have to mow the lawns or clean out the gutters anymore.
You made me clean out the gutters the last time I came through.
Rene, there's something I've been wanting to tell you.
I, um I've been seeing somebody For a few months now, actually, and I just I just thought you should know.
Well, um Well, that's good.
You should have some company.
You really don't mind? Isn't it strange for you? Well, of course it's strange, Scott.
You're my husband.
But I understand that it's been a while.
And well, you deserve to be happy, and so I'm happy that you're happy.
As I look around this room, I see heroes, heroines, friends, and family.
And I know I'm not just speaking for myself when I say it has been the journey of a lifetime.
I know this fella here would like to say a few words about that.
The man behind Mission Control, Mr.
Chris Kraft.
Ladies and gentlemen, so many dedicated people worked all these years, and I would like to take this time to officially say it has all been worth it.
Have you seen Annie? We have every right to be here! Boo! We have every right to be here! Zavier! What are you doing? He's just a kid! - He's just a kid! - Stop it! Each one of us should be celebrated because we are all a part of this victory.
I just I don't understand how how how you could get caught up with those people.
Caught up? Mrs.
Glenn, we all came down from Berkeley.
I drove the bus.
But you've you've always loved space.
The program's not about space anymore.
This party alone how much did it cost? Taxpayers' money that could have been spent helping people who really need it.
I got to go.
Zavier.
The the moon landing was for everyone.
S-so many people, all kinds of people, came together to make that happen.
Mrs.
Glenn, I don't mean any disrespect, but we've got a bunch of white men deciding where our money goes, patting each other on the back, giving each other medals, when there's a whole world down here.
Don't be like the rest of them and just look the other way.
Yeah, sure.
Apollo 11 was the first step, but Apollo 13 is gonna take us further.
I'm just waiting for Deke to sign off.
It's been a long road, but it's all gonna be worth it.
I couldn't have done it without her, I'll tell you that much.
Could you give us a minute, please? What do you mean, expand the business? They want to invest money, make it national.
This is a huge opportunity.
Babe, we were just on film talking about Apollo 13.
My number's up.
I'm in the rotation.
I know.
That's why I haven't told you.
But, Gordo, this really could change everything.
This is not the right time to be changing everything.
We've gotten all the way here.
We need to stick together and bring it home.
Together, we can achieve the impossible.
We know that now.
And that's why I'm calling on all of you to join me on my campaign.
I have served America for years.
I served during the war.
You know, I-I grew up not far from here.
The numbers aren't changing.
We've had no lift in the 15th district.
I know you've been reluctant to do it, but I think you need to lean on the astronaut thing.
No.
No, that's not why I got into this.
Look, people want a hero.
They need to be inspired.
You know what I mean? Maybe we could ask the voters what's important to them, to their families.
We could listen instead of talk.
People want answers, not questions.
Well, what about the numbers in the 23rd? I thought we really connected there.
Well, the deal's off.
I went to her office yesterday, and I told her no.
The timing just wasn't right with Gordo's flight.
The girls are looking at colleges.
It really would have been too much.
Well, when you're ready, there'll be something else.
Yeah.
Rene Tell me I didn't make a huge mistake.
Gordo? I'll be right back.
What's going on? Gordo! I'm not on Apollo 13.
Then who is? I told you I'd be back in the game.
I never doubted it.
We are going to the moon.
I am going to the moon.
Trudy.
Hi, Louise.
Is Alan home? - Apollo 13 was Gordo's mission.
- Listen, Trudy You haven't flown since 1961, and suddenly you get to jump in front of the line? Hold up a minute.
Oh.
Of course you're here.
Just because you two are best friends, it's not Trudy, it's not Alan's fault.
Hey, Gordo has only himself to blame.
What are you talking about? He stopped taking it seriously, putting his heart into it.
How can you say that? The space program is everything to him.
Or it's everything to you.
You know how he's been w-with the car racing and the boats and the treasure-hunting business.
Hey.
He let himself get distracted.
I'm sorry.
I talked to Alan and Deke.
What did you do that for? I'm done.
- We're moving on to better things.
- What things? Racing cars? Hey, this could be a profitable business if I treated it as more than a hobby.
Maybe now I will.
Gordo.
I spent the last decade of my life helping you get to the moon.
Please don't tell me that goal was more important to me than it was to you.
I'm sorry things aren't working out how we planned.
But Deke's made his decision, and I've made mine.
At a certain point, a man's got to draw the line, say enough is enough.
And what about a woman? When does she draw the line? Is that some kind of threat? It just might be.
All right.
So, we're all set.
Here's your apron.
The pineapple cake is pre-baked, so you don't have to make anything.
Just go through the motions.
O-oh, but I'm not doing the cooking segment.
We talked about this.
I'm going to be discussing women's issues.
I've already prepared all of my notes.
Yeah.
The boss read them, and he wants pineapple cake.
Sorry.
He's the one who approves the segment.
Hey, cooking's a woman's issue, right? We're on in 10.
Sorry I'm late.
What'd I miss? Listen to this.
"At the University of Texas, young women embark on their own personal quest to learn who they want to be.
" You mean our daughters don't have to major in husband hunting? I heard Alan's off Apollo 13.
NASA overrode Deke's decision.
They say Alan has a bit more catching up to do.
We're hoping for Apollo 14.
Jim Lovell was backup, wasn't he? He's taking Alan's place? Which means if Gordo hadn't been such an arrogant twit and taken the backup spot himself, he'd be going up now instead of Jim Lovell.
Trudy Couples go through things.
You know, it was so hard when Alan had his Ménière's.
But I stuck by him.
And we're happy now.
Louise Don't take this the wrong way.
But you don't have anything else.
You never wanted it.
I respect that.
You marriage is your whole life.
I'm not like that.
The beauty of pineapple cake is that it sure looks exotic, but it's actually very easy to make.
All you have to do is make sure that your ingredients are blended well.
You know what? Who the hell has time to bake, anyway? As a single woman balancing work and motherhood and getting back out there in the dating world, I say go and pick up something from the store and let's use our time to talk about something that actually matters, like birth control.
How many of you are talking to your friends about the diaphragm? Ladies and gentlemen, this is what a diaphragm looks like.
Now, I'm sure most people don't even know how this actually works, but it catches you-know-what here.
I could demonstrate that with an egg for you like this.
I'm not sure if one has ever been shown on television.
You know, in the moment, I just thought, "to hell with the pineapple cake.
There are more important things to talk about.
" She was great.
Thank you.
You know, you two seem great.
Together, I mean.
Well, uh, our time together was wonderful, and we have four great kids.
But, um but we've gone as far as we can together.
So You don't just say goodbye to your best friend.
So far, Apollo 13's trajectory is right on the preplanned line.
Does look like a good one, doesn't it? Jim reporting that the booster engine has shut down right on schedule.
They're entering the earth's orbit now.
Well, things continue to look very good as we end our program.
Launches don't even get a full day of programing any more.
two days' time, when Apollo 13 approaches the moon.
Till then, from all of us here You got 66.
5 That's Jack Swigert.
I bet he'll get even more eligible once he walks on the moon.
Bachelor astronaut.
The whole reason I came back to Gordo was because he had to be married.
You made it.
We did.
Who are you? - Hi.
Henry.
- Ooh.
Henry's a lawyer.
Here's the girls.
Hi, girls.
A lawyer.
He knows someone who specializes in negligence suits.
We're gonna sue.
Mm.
I'm just saying you need to think this over.
What happened to Gus was a horrible, unthinkable thing, but suing NASA? It's actually North American we'd be suing, the company who built the capsule.
Even worse.
A big corporation like that? You will spend every cent you have, and they will crush you.
I don't care about the money.
I just want them to admit they're responsible.
You know, I looked everything over.
I think she really does have a case.
I'm sorry.
Who are you? I love New York.
Of course, I miss the other wives terribly, but, well, life goes on.
We can't just sit around holding each other's hands forever, now, can we? You have a phone call, sir.
Excuse me.
Thank you.
Is everything okay? We need you back in the studio as soon as you can.
There's been an explosion on Apollo 13.
America is watching breathlessly as the challenges just keep coming for the crew of Apollo 13.
It's hard to believe.
First the explosion on the command module yesterday, and then the oxygen leak.
Jim Lovell, Jack Swigert, and Fred Haies are using the lunar module Aquarius as a life raft.
And with limited power, they've managed to use the moon's gravitational pull to slingshot a course back to earth.
And now this.
Carbon dioxide.
I don't understand.
All three of them are crammed into Aquarius, the lunar module.
But it's only designed for two men, not three.
They don't have enough lithium canisters to clean the Co2 out of the air.
Toxicity levels are rising.
"Toxicity"? Roger, Aquarius.
Stand by.
It means they have to find a way to get the Co2 levels down.
Or? Or they'll suffocate.
What about the canisters in the command capsule? Can't they retrieve those and use them? No.
They're not compatible with the system on Aquarius.
Connectors won't fit.
Then what's our solution?! Come on.
All right, I want every single tech and engineer we got in the conference room now.
I want exact inventory of everything aboard Aquarius on that table.
Let's move.
I'm gonna get Mattingly in the simulator and see what he can do.
Deke, I need to give some kind of official word.
Yeah, we're working on it.
Car is waiting.
We're missing traffic.
We should make it to the meet-and-greet just in time.
Exactly what kind of conversations are happening in Mission Control right now? Well, Jim, I can honestly say that in the history of the space program, we've never faced a situation as dire as this on a mission.
We've had automatic I can't think about a campaign right now.
I have to stay and watch the news.
equipment status, fuel shortages.
But these are all issues that a test pilot faces time and time again and overcomes.
This is their last option.
They have to find a way to use whatever they have on board tape, pens, whatever to fit a square lithium canister into a round socket.
Is that even possible? I really don't know.
We'll be right back.
I don't know if I can do this, Jo.
I should be down there, with them, helping.
Well, you're here, and you are helping.
The country needs some hope, and you're the face of that hope.
Half our job has always been public relations.
This is where you need to be.
I've got an idea! I've got an idea.
Take one of the LCGs and cut off the outer bag along the heat seal.
I don't understand.
They're using a hose from a space suit to connect the canister like like this.
Could that actually work? If it does, the Co2 levels will go down right away.
We've secured the canister.
All right.
Uh, waiting for the numbers down here.
Ladies and gentlemen, we are still awaiting word to see if the operation to connect the lithium canisters to the air supply has been a success.
We expect some report on that momentarily.
Houston, we are reading .
2 on our Co2 sets here.
We're all delighted.
It seems to be working fine.
I love my job! Hey.
It's me.
It worked.
Yeah.
Yeah.
They're fine.
He's gonna be okay.
Ladies and gentlemen, we have just received a report confirming that the operation to connect the lithium canisters to the air supply was a success.
The crew are all safe.
Listen I can only guess how you feel most of the time.
But if you need to sue Sue the hell out of them.
I will stand by you no matter what.
- You get some sleep, okay? - I will.
- Marilyn, I'll call you.
- Thank you.
Trudy? You were really amazing tonight.
Marilyn wouldn't have got through it without you.
None of us would.
Thank you.
I'll see you later, okay? I'm sorry.
I haven't been fair to you.
- It's it's okay.
- I don't I don't want you to get a divorce because I don't want to see you go.
I finally feel like I've got someplace where I belong.
Now it's all ending.
And when I think about the future All I can think about is is how much I'm gonna miss you.
I'll miss you, too.
When we met, all I wanted to do was to keep to myself.
But I'm terrified of that thought.
Well, you don't have to worry, because the Louise Shepard who annoyed the heck out of me back then Would never even be having this conversation.
We're all different people now.
We changed.
And we changed each other.
There's no going back.
You promise? When the program started, I I felt like I was floating in space, alone in a dark, silent void.
For me, the the journey to the moon was was never about reaching for the stars.
It was about returning from them About coming home and finding myself, my friends, down here.
And I wouldn't change any of it.
I wish we had met when we were 20.
Maybe things would have worked out differently for us.
You would have hated me at 20.
I'm glad we met when we did.
And that things worked out That we made the choices we did.
In the years following Apollo 13, the journey only continued for the wives of the Mercury seven.
Alan was the only Mercury astronaut to make it to the moon.
Trudy! Louise remained active in the astro-wife community even after Alan retired.
It's been a long way, but we're here.
She and Alan were married for 53 years and died within weeks of each other.
Jo remained happily married to Wally as he became a TV spokesperson and ran various businesses.
Whoo! I couldn't shop in a store or order in a restaurant, read a bedtime story to my children.
Annie became an active and devoted spokeswoman for a multitude of causes.
John lost his Senate Race in 1970, but ran again in 1974 and won, retiring in 1999.
would turn away from me in public.
Trudy divorced Gordo and eventually started her own successful career business.
Some male officers believe that female officers don't have the physical strength to support them while on the job.
Rene was given her own nationally syndicated talk show where she was finally able to speak her mind.
She and Scott stayed on good terms until his death in 2013.
I sure hope we're offending enough people today.
Marge continued to be a ringleader for subsequent waves of astronaut wives, living up to the moniker "Mother Marge.
" In 1975, Deke got medical clearance to fly and became the oldest person at the time to go into space.
It's not about money.
It's not even about justice, 'cause the only just thing would be bringing Gus and the boys back, and that's not gonna happen.
Betty went through with her suit against North American and won a settlement for herself and the other two Apollo 1 widows.
It's about truth.
She never remarried.
Bye.
I love you.
I love you.
Go get 'em.
I couldn't miss this.
This is all that matters.
Okay.
I'm gonna go.
I love you all.
Six manned moon landings succeeded in the Apollo program.
Of the 30 space couples in the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo programs, only seven marriages survived.
23 years after Dr.
Lovelace qualified 13 women for astronaut training, Sally Ride went into space.