FROM THE EARTH TO THE MOON: SPIDER {PART 5 OF 12} (TV)
Summary
Continued from T:53239. Part five of this twelve-part docudrama series about the development of the U.S. space program as the country prepares to send men to the moon. Part five, entitled "Spider," examines the work of the engineers who built the lunar capsule. When Tom Dolan proposes the idea of a lunar orbit rendezvous between a command module and lunar module, John Houbolt of NASA approves the option as sensible and safe. With Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation in Bethpage, New York, approved to construct the lunar module, Tom Kelly and his team of engineers struggle to figure out how to lighten the heavy weight of the craft. They eliminate standard items in most spacecrafts, like seats, thermal shields, and windows. When construction begins, Kelly grasps the huge task ahead, considering all the parts must be handmade and repeatedly tested. But as the time for the scheduled lift-off nears, Kelly realizes the module will not be ready, so the engineers labor harder then ever to meet the tight deadline. Finally, the module is ready and astronauts Jim McDivitt, Dave Scott, and Rusty Schweikart wait anxiously for the launch. After a successful launch, the module separates from the command craft and begins its journey around the moon. But as McDivitt and Schweikart prepare to partake in a historic space walk, Schweikart gets sick and the mission gets scrapped. As McDivitt and Schweikart prepare to shut down the module and reconnect with the command craft, McDivitt decides that Schweikart is feeling better and he orders the first two-man spacewalk. Back at mission control, Kelly nervously awaits word of whether the lunar module and command craft have reconnected. Continues with T:53269.
This selection from the Alan Gerry Cable Collection has been made available by the Gerry Foundation, Inc.
Details
- NETWORK: HBO
- DATE: April 19, 1998 Sunday 8:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:56:08
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:53265
- GENRE: Drama, historical
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama, historical; Space exploration; Space flight to the moon; Astronauts
- SERIES RUN: HBO - TV series, 1998
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Tom Hanks … Executive Producer
- Tony To … Co-Executive Producer
- John Melfi … Supervising Producer
- Graham Yost … Supervising Producer, Director
- Brian Grazer … Producer
- Ron Howard … Producer
- Michael Bostick … Producer
- Erik Bork … Co-Producer
- Bruce Richmond … Co-Producer
- Janace Tashjian … Co-Producer
- Terry Odem … Associate Producer
- Andy Wolk … Writer
- Andrew Chaikin … Based in part on the book "A Man on the Moon" by
- Mason Daring … Music by
- Michael Kamen … Theme Music by
- Remi Aubuchon … Cast, Engineer Bob
- Reed Birney … Cast, John Houbolt
- David Brisbin … Cast, Allyn B. Hazard
- Max Brown … Cast, Glennan
- Matt Craven … Cast, Tom Kelly
- Brett Cullen … Cast, Dave Scott
- Keith Dorman … Cast, Kelly's Assistant
- John Drew … Cast, Mylar Engineer
- Dann Florek … Cast, Robert Seamans
- Randell Haynes … Cast, Houbolt's Critic #1
- Steve Hofvendahl … Cast, Tom Stafford
- Clint Howard … Cast, Paul Lucas
- Daniel Hugh Kelly … Cast, Gene Cernan
- Paul Kiernan … Cast, Glennan's Assistant
- Brian LaFontaine … Cast, the Young Engineer
- Mark Lainer … Cast, the Doubting Engineer
- Matthew Lussier … Cast, Arnold Whitaker
- Phillip Martinez … Cast, John Coursen
- Fred Mooneyham … Cast, Houbolt's Critic #2
- Kieran Mulroney … Cast, Rusty Schweikart
- Dean Napolitano … Cast, Seaman's Assistant
- John Nutten … Cast, Colleague #1
- Conor O'Farrell … Cast, James McDivitt
- Holmes Osborne … Cast, George Low
- Stan Petter … Cast, Colleague #2
- Alan Ruck … Cast, Tom Dolan
- Nick Searcy … Cast, Deke Slayton
- Grant Shaud … Cast, Bob Carbee
- Russell Warner … Cast, John Rigsby
- Norbert Weisser … Cast, Wernher Von Braun
- Graham Yost … Cast, Engineer Dave