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  PBS American Experience: Space Men (2016)

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Author Topic:   PBS American Experience: Space Men (2016)
Robert Pearlman
Editor

Posts: 42981
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 02-12-2016 10:18 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
PBS's American Experience will premiere Space Men on March 1, 2016.
In the 1950s and early '60s, a small band of high-altitude pioneers exposed themselves to the extreme forces of the space age long before NASA's acclaimed Mercury 7 would make headlines. Though largely forgotten today, balloonists were the first to venture into the frozen near-vacuum on the edge of our world, exploring the very limits of human physiology and human ingenuity in this lethal realm.

The program will also be available on DVD beginning March 22.

onesmallstep
Member

Posts: 1310
From: Staten Island, New York USA
Registered: Nov 2007

posted 02-12-2016 11:01 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for onesmallstep   Click Here to Email onesmallstep     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Great to see this documentary cover the 'pre-astronauts' that flew in Projects Manhigh, Strato-Lab, Excelsior and others. Other than Capt. Joe Kittinger's leap from a balloon gondola in 1960, the most dramatic mission came exactly one day before Alan Shepard's Mercury flight when two Navy officers, wearing the same type of suit Shepard would use in his flight, set a new record for the highest altitude reached by any American aboard the Strato-Lab V.

Sadly, one of the crew drowned during recovery operations, and the next day their record was broken by Shepard's flight aboard Freedom 7. Nevertheless, JFK presented the Harmon Trophy to the crew for their achievement.

Robert Pearlman
Editor

Posts: 42981
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 02-25-2016 10:17 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Via Francis French, who was interviewed for this documentary, here is the poster for "Space Men":

BMacKinnon
Member

Posts: 230
From: Waterford, MI. USA
Registered: Jul 2007

posted 02-25-2016 04:13 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for BMacKinnon   Click Here to Email BMacKinnon     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Both Malcolm Ross and Victor Prather were from Michigan and we have a display honoring both of them at Michigan's Military and Space Heroes Museum in Frankenmuth.

Two unsung heroes that are finally getting some national recognition again.

FFrench
Member

Posts: 3161
From: San Diego
Registered: Feb 2002

posted 11-23-2016 12:54 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for FFrench     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
It was a great, great pleasure to be a part of this outstanding show.

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