Patricia Doyle was a good pilot and a good woman.
She will forever be a part of the NASA family.
We ask that everyone give her loved ones time to grieve in this moment of loss.
Her tenacity and her indomitable spirit... will be missed.
Flags at NASA's Manned Spaceflight Center were flown today at half-mast,
and after a brief memorial service,
the remains of Astronaut Candidate Patricia Doyle...
We thought you might be here.
You missed a really nice service.
I know this is hard,
so, if you need...
You can save it for the Tupperware party.
Fair enough.
Thanks, Pam.
To Patty.
- To Patty. - To Patty.
I just wish we knew what happened up there.
She was a damn good pilot.
So confident.
That bedstead's a lousy bucket.
She flew choppers. So she wasn't trained to punch out.
They don't even have ejection seats, so they always try...
She screwed the pooch. It's the only thing that matters.
She screwed the pooch.
She tried to stay with the vehicle when she should've punched out,
simple as that.
Now she's gone.
Everything we're doing...
that's over.
They'll cancel the program. It's just a matter of time.
Hey.
They're tuckered out.
Yeah. I read them this.
Out like a light.
How was the service?
You all right?
Yeah.
Sometimes, I...
I just wonder if I'm doing right by these boys.
Hey...
these boys think you hung the moon.
How many moms do you know that are training to go into outer space
and still find time to help their kids do their homework in the morning?
You didn't do it?
Nope.
I love you.
I love you too.
No, sir. I was her instructor that day.
I just didn't get a chance to talk to you at the funeral and...
If there is anyone to...
I just want to express to you...
- No, no, sir... - Because they're afraid...
Sorry, sir. Just listen to me. I...
I understand your feelings.
No, that's not at all what I'm... Sir? Mr. Doyle.
Sorry.
Forget about it.
It's just a phone.
He just wouldn't listen.
Sometimes when people are grieving,
the last thing they wanna hear is an explanation.
Well, he had every right.
Ed, this wasn't your fault, okay?
I was her instructor.
It was my job to prepare her.
Make sure she was ready.
And I failed.
You can't keep blaming yourself for everything that goes wrong.
She knew the risks, all right?
She'd been flying for years.
She knew... Hey, hey, stop. Stop.
Go mow the lawn.
Ed!
This really isn't necessary.
I'm pretty sure I can still find my way around here.
It's no bother, Mr. Glenn.
That's John Glenn.
Look at old Gus. And Scott. Good grief.
We sure thought the world of ourselves back then, didn't we?
Yeah. Full of piss and vinegar.
- Guess nothing's changed, huh? - Yeah.
Nice tie.
All right.
So, what's on your mind?
Well, the girl that crashed the bedstead.
Patricia Doyle.
She was out of her depth.
What makes you say that?
There's a reason that being a test pilot used to be a requirement for this job.
Experience actually matters.
You have to face the facts, Deke.
Men go off and fight the wars and fly the planes.
Women can't do what we do.
It's just a fact of our social order.
I don't know if you heard, but a woman did land on the moon.
They've worked hard for this, John.
To take it away from them now...
Look, after what you went through on Mercury...
I don't blame you for having compassion for these ladies, I really don't.
This has nothing to do with that.
Deke, I've known you for a long time.
I was there when that moron flight surgeon grounded you for...
What'd they call it?
Atrial fibrillation.
You got a raw deal.
We're talking about the credibility of NASA here.
Everyone knows this wasn't your idea. It was forced on you.
Nobody forced me into anything.
I decide who goes up and who doesn't.
I know.
And your word carries a lot of weight.
If you come out and say that we gave it a good shot
and these girls just weren't up to standards,
no one's gonna question that.
No one.
We don't know what caused the crash,
but we are fairly certain that they lost at least one cosmonaut.
So, a man died on the moon, and they're keeping it quiet.
Russians don't like to publicize their failures.
Unlike us.
That's the price you pay for living in a free society, Gordo.
This is the best view Orbiter Six could get of the impact crater.
The concern is that, with their trajectory,
they might've been attempting to land near a possible water site.
So it looks like they know what might be up there, same as us.
What are those cylinders?
Guys at JPL think that they might be pressurized modules.
As in habitation modules?
Yes.
- Shit. - Jesus.
They're ahead of us. Again.
We need to accelerate the base.
They get a foothold up there before we do,
they could start putting in missile radar systems, surveillance...
We're behind schedule now. We don't even have a site selected yet.
Why the hell not? Just pick one.
Sir, the base designs have been predicated on proximity to water ice.
If we don't have that, we don't have a base,
- and we have yet to identify where... - And who are you again?
I'm Margo Madison, sir.
Right. You're Wernher's girl.
She's a flight dynamics officer.
And she makes a good point.
We can't just throw a dart and land anywhere.
I don't give a shit where it is.
I don't care if it's a tent and a campfire as long as we can say we were first.
We need a win.
Sputnik. Gagarin. Leonov. Belikova.
The president's not interested in another second-place finish.
It's bad enough that our girl's accident is plastered all over the news.
We have an election coming up,
and the way it looks, it's probably gonna be against Ted Kennedy.
Should be a nice, clean fight.
The president wants to give the American people
something to cheer about.
A Kennedy landslide.
Laugh all you want, but Nixon's the only reason this program still exists.
Apollo 15 will locate a usable site.
And the president will announce that mankind's first
permanently manned base on the moon will be flying the star-spangled banner.
Congratulations, gentlemen, you're going to make history.
Have concluded an agreement to end the war
and bring peace with honor in Vietnam and in Southeast Asia.
The cease-fire will take effect at 2400 Greenwich Mean Time,
November 16th, 1970.
The United States and the Democratic Republic of Vietnam
express the hope that this agreement will ensure stable peace in Vietnam
and contribute to the preservation...
Got a minute?
Sure, sit down.
Got you an early birthday present.
What is it?
- He's pulling the plug. - Yeah, I know. I'm watching it now.
No. Not Vietnam. The other thing.
Now?
They're almost done with the training.
The peace treaty is the perfect cover.
Give everybody something shiny to look at.
I thought you'd be happy.
I'm tired of being jerked around is what I am.
You have any idea how hard I've been working to get these women ready?
They have been busting their butts doing every goddamn thing I ask.
Well, he's seen the light.
What can I say?
With the Soviets on our heels, he doesn't want any distractions.
And the polling didn't help.
Turns out Americans don't really wanna watch women dying in fiery plane crashes.
Look, the circus is over.
Now you can put all your focus back on the lunar base, where it belongs.
Hey, what's with the press conference?
I was just coming to ask you. You didn't call it?
I thought you called it.
These women are the first to successfully complete
all of NASA's required training.
And so, now it is my great privilege to introduce to you...
Holy shit.
Tracy Stevens.
Molly Cobb.
Ellen Waverly.
Danielle Poole.
Ladies and gentlemen, America's next Apollo astronauts.
I did not authorize this.
I know. I did.
I say who's an astronaut. Who goes up and when.
Well, congratulations.
You just made Nixon's shitlist.
Any questions?
Molly Cobb.
Aleida, did you see?
- Yes. Papa, look. - Ellen Waverly.
Well... look what I got for you.
What is it?
Danielle Poole.
Ladies and gentlemen, America's next Apollo astronauts.
A truly historic day in the space program.
No word yet on which of the new astronauts
will be the first American woman to go to the moon.
In other news, the Nixon administration
continues the drawdown of US forces in Vietnam,
as another three battalions return home tomorrow.
Please stand by while we patch you through to Da Nang.
Go for Da Nang. Connecting with Da Nang.
Hello? Dani? You there?
Clayton?
Hey, baby. Can barely hear you.
Clay?
There you go. Now I got you.
Hey, guess what?
One of the guys painted a spaceman on my helmet.
They're calling me Major Tom.
It is so good to hear your voice.
I miss you.
Every night on the news I see more and more soldiers coming home.
It's almost over.
Yeah. Almost.
Baby, you won't believe what happened today.
I can barely believe it myself.
Don't keep me in... I wanna... about it...
Clay?
Can't... again... These goddamn...
Clay? What?
- I can't hear you. - Babe...
Clay, where are you?
Clay?
Hey, keep your eyes...
No. You're getting the hang of it.
It just takes a few tries, that's all.
- All right, on your feet. - Yes, sir.
Now, keep your weight forward, okay?
Not that much. Not... That's better.
Now, stop looking at the ground.
Damn it. Now, you didn't do what I told you, Shane, did ya?
- No, sir. - You need to listen to me.
- Sorry. - Don't apologize.
Okay. Look at me. Do not apologize.
Just listen to me, okay?
Hey. I don't wanna see that.
Now, you get up on this bike, and you try again, okay?
And you've got to follow my instructions.
Hey, I need to talk to Mr. Slayton.
So, we'll continue this tomorrow.
Deke.
I'm making a change in your crew.
Gordo's out.
Shit.
- What'd he do now? - It's not that.
Your new LEM pilot will be one of the new astronauts.
One of the female astronauts.
You're kidding me.
You put him on 15, Deke.
He's been up there with me twice before
and training with me every day for the past nine months.
And he's the best goddamn LEM pilot we have in the program.
These women can fly. You've seen what they're capable of.
Come on, Deke. This is a publicity stunt.
All due respect, Karen, this is my decision.
Well, then I understand it even less. You're rushing into this.
- You're gonna make a mistake. - Karen.
Look, they need more training.
They're not ready, Deke. Not for 15.
I disagree.
They've all earned their place in this program.
And I say they're ready to fly.
That's easy to say when you're not going up there.
You don't want the flight, say the words.
You can get drunk and watch it on TV with Gordo
and bitch about how unfair the world is.
You won't see me there.
So, you want the flight or not?
Yeah, I want the...
Good.
Oh, shit. Should I go talk to her?
Not if you wanna walk out of here alive.
I'll break the news to Gordo.
Already done.
It was my call. My responsibility.
- How'd he take it? - About the same way she did.
You should have dinner with your new crewmate tonight, you and Sedge.
Have a couple drinks. Break bread. Get to know each other a little.
Great.
So, who's the lucky lady?
You know, a lot of eyes are gonna be on you now.
A lot of expectations.
You just got to put all that out of your mind.
You just, you know, focus on the mission. It's the only thing that matters.
And, you know, remember, it's not all on you.
You know, we're a crew.
That's right. We're 15.
Just the three of us. We rely on each other.
- Damn right. - Could you pass the A1, please?
And it's gonna be your first time in space.
Everybody understands that.
It's gonna be your first time in space too, right?
Uh-huh.
Old Sedgey used to fly Phantoms in Nam.
He's been flying jets ever since the Air Force Academy,
but we won't hold that against him.
Go Falcons.
You know, you guys got to try the baked potato.
- It's outstanding. - Fantastic.
You know... I guess what I'm really trying to get to...
Yep. Please, get to it.
I'm trying to get to it...
You know, between me and Sedgey, we've got a lot of experience under our belts.
So if you just follow our lead,
you won't have anything to worry about.
- I'm not worried. - Good.
I've actually been flying longer than either of you.
In fact, I was in Mercury 13 before you got into Gemini.
So, in a sense,
I have seniority here.
Isn't that funny?
Yeah, this is good.
There you are.
Where have you been? Dinner's in half an hour.
And Fred and Susie are probably already on their way over.
Sorry. Just...
a couple things come up at the office.
Are you...
Jesus Christ.
You're drunk.
You're just not gonna let me enjoy this, are you?
I'm sorry, Trace. I just...
What, Gordo?
What?
I'm off 15.
Deke replaced me with Molly Cobb.
She's taking my ride.
Honey.
So, she gets the moon,
and I get... shit.
I'm so sorry.
Hey, you know what? I'm gonna tell Sheila to go home
- and you just... - Hey, no. No.
No. No, we're celebrating you tonight.
- Are you sure? - Damn straight.
Another Stevens is an astronaut.
I mean, that demands a celebration.
In fact, I'm gonna call Jim Rathmann.
Next week, you and me will go down there,
we're gonna pick out a brand-new Vette for you.
I can't go next week.
Why not?
They're sending me out to the Cape to help prep.
For how long?
A week. Maybe a little longer.
A week?
I mean, well...
Shouldn't we, like, talk through that stuff
before you just agree to run off and go to Florida?
Well, that's not how this works, Gordo. You know that.
I go where I'm told, just like you.
Hey, Molly's getting 15.
She is.
And I'm not exactly supposed to tell you this,
but word is you're gonna be her backup.
She's the best pilot in our class.
Plus, she thrives under pressure.
Half the time I think she tries to create it.
Well, Baldwin doesn't put up with any shit and Molly loves a shitstorm,
which means you have a real shot at getting bumped up.
Just keep on doing what you do. And keep your nose clean.
Well, here's to the first American woman on the moon.
Whoever she may be.
- I got the next round. - Thank you.
Please.
So, when do you get off work?
Not soon enough.
- Can we have another round? - Yeah.
- Hi. - Hello.
- Bourbon for... Yeah. - Sure.
You and lady astronaut over there
have been spending an awful lot of time together lately.
Yeah, I'd make a move while you still can, Lar.
I mean, chick like that won't be on the market long.
And I bet that astronaut tail... it's outta this world.
And I was nice to her the whole time.
Offered to help her out, show her the ropes.
And all she gave me was attitude. Like...
She acted like she's already been up there before.
What?
I don't know.
You know, I don't think she likes men.
- You know what I mean? - What? Hey, no.
- You just brushed your teeth. - It's like Listerine.
- Okay. Yeah? - Yeah.
Great.
He does not respect women,
that's for damn sure.
He probably thinks I'm a lesbian.
I've often thought of myself as a lesbian.
He was so goddamn patronizing.
Telling me that I shouldn't worry
because they would be there to hold my hand.
It sounds like he doesn't know you very well.
Yeah, well, why would he?
I mean, we are invisible to the "real astronauts."
He thinks this program's a joke.
It's just ridiculous. I don't know why you agreed to it.
It's not gonna help with everything that happened with Patty.
Look, it's not about that, okay?
Deke's got final say on the crew.
- Yeah, but... - You heard him. I'd be off 15.
Okay, well, then there's other missions.
Not if I say no to this one.
Well, she's not up to snuff.
That ship has sailed.
She's on my crew, and I got to make it work.
I just got to make sure she doesn't screw up.
Maybe I was just meant to fly solo.
Are you trying to hurt my feelings?
I don't mean that.
What happens if you can't find it within yourself
to play nice with this guy?
I guess he could just bounce me.
What do you think Patty would think about that?
That I was being an idiot, as usual.
Yeah. Look, I know you know how to be a part of a team.
Would you...
be up for some team-building exercises?
Well, you seem to be.
- Hello? - Mornin', Lar. It's Coop.
So, the training schedule for the prime crew just shifted up,
and we're gonna need Ellen in the sim at 0600.
Ellen?
Well, we called her place, but there was no answer.
So I figured maybe she was with you?
Yeah. Yeah, she's still asleep.
I'll get her there on time, okay? Just keep this on the QT, will ya?
Don't worry about it. See you in the sim, you hound dog.
- Hello? - Pam? It's Larry Wilson.
- Larry? What are you... - Just tell her to get dressed.
I'll be there in 20 minutes.
Who was that?
It's Larry. He'll be here in 20 minutes.
I guess I had one too many last night at the Outpost,
and Pam just thought it was better if I didn't drive.
And her house is closer, spare couch and all, so...
It's not like I was on the clock. I was just...
The two of you are getting sloppy.
I'm not sure... I don't know...
What are you talking about?
You used to be more careful.
I thought you had your act together.
Have you been spying on me?
You don't have to listen to me.
But if the bosses find out that you've been lying about anything,
they'll interpret it to mean
that you could lie about something during a mission.
Like to cover up a mistake.
And from that moment on, they will put you under the microscope
and they will never, ever let you fly.
- You're overreacting. - You have to be smarter than this.
Smarter than everyone else, or you're done.
Believe me, I know.
When we walk into that office,
just act the way they're expecting us to.
If you can pull that off, you'll be fine.
You'll be fine.
All right, everyone. We're going to the moon. Smile.
Jesus, it's the mopesy twins. Give us a little more.
You're gonna find ice on the moon and inspire people all over the world!
Okay, let's get one with just Molly.
Gentlemen, just Molly, please. Thank you.
Molly, could you fluff your hair a bit?
Yeah, that's not working. Can we get a little help, please? Thank you.
Nixon loves long hair.
That ship has sailed.
Listen, Molly.
Americans wanna see a free woman on the moon.
Not some Soviet puppet. So, try to smile.
You know, Anastasia's look beckons us into the cosmos.
You just said she was a puppet.
You need to beckon America.
Askew.
Smile.
Maybe don't smile.
I think we're done.
Well, I'll be a son of a bitch.
Look at you. Finally, a side of you I like.
You play here a lot?
I don't know. Sometimes.
I guess it helps clear my head before a launch.
You had a real nice groove going there.
This is my husband, Wayne.
You're married?
It's nice to meet you.
I got to get the girls down here.
Don't tell anyone.
This is my own time. It's no one's business but mine.
Whoa. Relax.
I'm serious.
You don't wanna mess with me, Molly.
- Got it? - I got it.
Nice to meet you, Wayne.
You can't just use your wrist.
In your suit, if you wanna get to the ice, you need to use your whole arm, okay?
Right.
You can't just pick it up.
You bend in your suit, you can't get further than 22 inches off the ground.
Let's just leave it for now.
Just focus on these sample bags, okay?
Get your own bag. They're over there.
Jesus Christ.
Arm down.
This zipper, man.
- You got that? - Yeah, I got it.
Well, at least I won't have to wear a bra in space.
Zero-G and all.
Speaking on behalf of Ed and myself,
in the interest of our respective marriages, please do.
Is there a problem?
Well, we just realized the relief tube was designed for...
man parts.
She won't be able to use it. I mean, not without making a hell of a mess.
Let's see. The trip takes, what? A week?
Yeah, I don't think I can hold it that long.
She could wear a diaper.
Worked for the guys on Gemini.
Molly. Does that sound okay to you?
I'm sorry. Are you kidding? What?
Let me handle this.
No one on my crew is going to the moon in a damn diaper.
This is NASA. You're rocket scientists. Figure it out.
It's just a diaper.
So, once you figure out the controls of the rover...
we'll bring in the 1/6th-g rig
to better simulate its movements on the moon.
See, the trick is to keep your eyes on the road.
I'm pretty sure I learned that in driver's ed... sir.
What I meant is, you're a pilot.
All pilots have tendencies, see?
Every time Gordo drives this thing,
he keeps checking that instrument panel and then he cross-checks his surrounding,
looking out through the window like he's in an airplane.
Don't do that.
The terrain's gonna be very irregular,
and even at eight kilometers an hour, things can happen quick.
Okay?
Got it.
Cobb, you went into final trim 30 seconds late.
She still doesn't know these procedures.
Let's run it again. Reset.
Roger that.
She is such a pain in my ass.
Resetting to P63.
You know I got this, right?
I was just adjusting the locking harness out of the way.
And stick to the procedure this time, Cobb.
Yeah.
Can we... focus, here?
Okay. Noun six two, enter.
Verb two one, enter.
Noun zero one, enter.
Two zero one zero, enter.
Two zero six, enter.
Oh, shit. That was supposed to be two zero seven, right?
Yep.
All right, let's reset again.
Belay that.
I think we need to rework the procedure for this stage of the mission.
I'll handle the DSKY entries until we're in P66.
And I'll actuate the manual throttle to full on my side.
What? Why?
That's a hell of a change to be throwing in this late in the game.
Look, Ed, I got this. I have it under control. I just need...
This is my decision. It's final. Copy?
Copy.
Ed, remember why we laid it out that way in the first place?
I'm the commander of this mission.
If I say to change the procedure, we change the goddamn procedure, understood?
Now, cut the horseshit out there and let's get back to work.
Looks like Icy Ed's back in town.
What was that in there?
Fuck off, Margo. I was just messing with you.
You are too busy joking around in there to see what's going on.
He doesn't trust you.
- What are you talking about? - But maybe he shouldn't.
Because the truth is, you're not good enough, Molly.
Not right now.
And you're gonna be the first American woman in space.
You have to be perfect.
I am who I am.
If someone doesn't like it, then screw them.
This isn't just about you.
I'm not trying to be some goddamn role model for women.
I'm just a pilot!
No.
You're an astronaut.
- Good night. - You too.
- Keep me safe up there. - Good luck.
Hey, Ed.
Gordo.
Headed to the Cape.
Yeah. Just one last stop off at home to say goodbye and... off to Ellington.
Look...
We never got a chance to, you know...
This whole deal, it's just...
Yeah.
Well, I mean, you'll get your... you know?
It's okay, Ed. BOHICA. You know?
BOHICA.
Yeah.
How's Karen feel about you spending a week in a little capsule with another woman?
I guarantee you she'd be a lot happier if it was you going up there.
So would I.
Well, changing world. I hope for the better.
Yep.
Sure it's gonna be a hell of a ride.
Godspeed, 15.
Well, better get back to it. CAPCOM on the generic sim.
- It's busy work. - Right. Yeah. Busy, busy.
Look at me.
There you go.
Yes, I see.
You're doing great.
But keep your feet on the pedals.
Attention, all passengers. Bus 163 to San Pedro has been moved to Platform C.
Here. This should last the whole trip.
Okay, Aleida. This is the first ticket. Now, where do you get off the bus?
Cape Kennedy. It's the last stop tomorrow morning, and I don't get off before then.
Okay. And what happens when you get to Cape Kennedy?
I follow the people there because they'll all be going to the same place.
When it's over, I walk to the bus station and use the second ticket...
Papa, I need the second ticket.
Sorry.
And the second ticket takes me back home to Houston. Which is also the last stop.
And you don't get off the bus before then.
- I know. - Okay.
Aleida, I'm sorry I didn't have enough for two tickets.
I'll be okay, Papa. I promise.
Okay.
I love you.
I'll be right here when you get back.
Sorry.
- Hello? - Where the hell were you last night?
I unplugged my phone to get a good night's sleep. What's wrong?
Nothing. I just... I don't know.
What if there'd been an emergency with one of the boys?
Well, did something happen, babe?
No, but what if it did?
You know Baseops can get to me anytime.
Yeah, I guess.
So, when are you coming back?
I don't know. A few days, maybe.
You're going out tonight to celebrate?
Well, I don't know. Maybe. You know what it's like here.
What's that supposed to mean?
Well, I mean...
- I don't know. It's launch day, you know? - Yep.
Yeah, okay. I just thought you were worried about being a bad mother.
What was that?
What was what, hon?
Hey, I got to run.
- I'll call you later. Love you. - Hey, wai...
I don't understand. I mean, we were a few rows up for Apollo 10.
It seems okay to me. We're closer, anyway.
I just liked it better where we sat before.
Hi, ladies.
Hello. Excuse me.
Is that him?
That's him.
- Hello. - Yeah.
- Karen Baldwin. - Wayne Cobb.
That's a great dress.
- Thank you. - Yeah.
Tighter.
That was quite a send-off.
Buncha people cheering for shit.
I haven't done anything yet.
You did just strap your ass on top of a quarter million tons of high explosive
for government pay.
It's not smart, but it's something.
Final guidance alignment.
The final maneuver the astronauts perform before liftoff.
Twenty-five seconds and counting. We are still go.
Twenty seconds. Guidance alert. The guidance system now going internal.
Fifteen, 14, 13, 12, 11,
ten, nine, eight, ignition sequence start,
five, four, three, two, one, zero.
Launch commit. Liftoff. We have liftoff.
The tower is clear.
Hey, Deke. You got a call.
Hey. We did it, huh?
Terrific, right? Come on in.
Slayton.
This is the White House operator. Please hold for the president.
I like what I'm seeing on the news, Deke. Quite a show. Congratulations.
- Thank you, sir. I appreciate the... - But if the girl screws up, it's your ass.
I'm going to the moon.