World Was There

Six Mercury missions. This film shows how the news media of the world covered the manned space launches of NASA's Project Mercury. Al Shepard makes the first U.S. suborbital flight. Gus Grissom makes his suborbital flight and is almost lost during a dramatic and death defying recovery. John Glenn's three orbits of earth and his inspiring speech before Congress are given wide media. Scott Carpenter's flight, including the long recovery period when he was out of contact, is shown. Wally Schirra's launch and recovery is graphically documented. A major part of the film deals with Gordon Cooper's flight and its preparation.