Part 1 briefly outlines the Cold War, and how the "Space Race" got started, with the Soviets' launching of Sputnik, in October, 1957. Next came the U.S. competing with the Soviets to launch a man into space. The U.S. considered several methods for putting a man into space, but ultimately decided on Project Mercury, and set out to find seven astronauts to carry America's torch into space.
