the capsule sits upon 25 tons
highly combustible ethyl alcohol and
liquid oxygen
powering a rocket eye engine that
provides 78
000 pounds of thrust now if these
specifications sound familiar it's
because
we've essentially removed the core from
a nuclear missile
and we want to put you in its place
now would we like to test the system for
years before risking a man's
what happened yes but are we afforded
such a luxury with the russians
we are not you gentlemen are accustomed
to testing dangerous
unproven aircraft and yet you've made it
this far in one piece
most of you have families you have
careers
you have lives that could all come to an
abrupt halt
if you sign on to this endeavor you want
to take 32 of your lovelace clinic for
medical evaluation but only seven of you
will have what it takes
and those seven will be the mercury
astronauts
now we have a fantastic agency in the
making
but to be frank the russians are
sprinting around the track and we are
still at the starting block tying our
shoelaces
we need to work fast we need to work
smart
and we need the best our very way of
life
[Music]
the choice is yours gentlemen