This is truly ’’how the future began’’. Back in the 1950s, the Air Force had an elite group of men (and still do) called TEST PILOTS. It is the job of a test pilot to take a plane on its first maiden flight. This flight is done in order to find and hopefully ’’fix’’ any bugs in the system before the plane is put into actual use by the Military. Many brave men (and now, also women), our test pilots, have lost their lives ’’just doing their jobs’’ in order to declare a plane ’’safe’’ for others. Many brave men (and again, now also women), and again, also test pilots, have gone a step further and have had their names logged forever in our history books. We call these ’’test pilots’’ ASTRONAUTS! Where once orbiting the earth, or ’’being in outer space’’ was in the minds of science-fiction writers and dreamers, in 1959, it became our reality. The criteria to make the transition from test pilot to astronaut was not based on seniority but ability and physical aptitude. Each ’’pilot’’ had to be less than 40 years old, under 5’11’’ tall, be in top-notch physical condition, hold a bachelor’s degree in engineering (or at least the equivalent thereof), be a graduate of ’’test-pilot school’’, be a ’’qualified JET pilot’’ and have a minimum of 1500 hours of flying time. Each chosen ’’pilot’’ was put through various rigorous, physical endurance tests. The passing grades of these chosen few would determine the names of our first men in space - names that would go down in history. After many hours, the choice was made. Our first ’’crew’’ of astronauts or ’’space men’’ as others called them, were Virgil ’’Gus’’ Grisson, Scott Carpenter, Donald ’’Deke’’ Slayton, Gordeon Cooper, Alan Shepard, Walter Schirra and John Glenn. THIS IS THEIR STORY!
They begin their saga by taking you through the wild and dangerous flights in the newly completed Air Force jets. Each man lets you ease comfortably in his life and share the anxiety his wife and family feels whenever he takes up a ’’new plane’’. You celebrate with this elite crew at a small dusty shack in the middle of the desert where they go after each successful flight. You share their moments of sorrow as they reminisce at each photo of a pilot who didn’t make it back. The group finally lets you listen to their conversations when they are offered the opportunity to be America’s first astronauts. BUT WAIT . . . the movie doesn’t stop there! This is where it all begins. This fearless group of young men are not driven by ego-maniacal desires to have their names written in lights. They are driven by the sheer thrill of ’’pushing the envelope’’ to the breaking point - and what better way to do it than doing it in a spacecraft. This is a test pilots dream come true. Although the Russians were the first to put a man in space, our own Alan Shepard was not far behind. Soon to follow was Gus Grissom, who had his share of mishaps during his own journey into space. However, in February of 1962, America had the first astronaut to orbit the earth. His name was John Glenn. This story follows the flight successes and mishaps of these great brave men. To give you the details of all these flights would be unfair to those who wish to see this wonderful movie. It would spoil the anticipation of what is to come in each and every following scene.
The Right Stuff is the saga of their lives professionally and personally. It’s their hopes and dreams - some of which came true and some which remained forever dreams. Although this is part of our history, this movie is so well done, you find yourself reliving every moment of the excitement, anxiety, and thrill - as if it is happening for the first time - right before your eyes. The Right Stuff is a part of American history that should never be forgotten but seen often to remind us all where our future began.