*** SONG LIVES FOR EVER ***
14,15...
16, prime...
18, prime...
20...
21...
22, prime...
West Virginia
Collegiate Institute
is the best school for
Negros in the state.
It's the only school
past the eighth grade
anywhere near here.
Isosceles.
Scalene.
Equilateral.
Rhombus.
Trapezoid.
Katherine's in the sixth grade.
They want to take her early.
Tetrahedron.
Dodecahedron.
They're offering
a full scholarship.
All you have to do is get there.
Ms. Coleman...
why don't you solve
the equation on the board?
We took up a collection
amongst the teachers and such.
It's not a lot...
but it's enough
to help get you settled in.
That's more than kind,
Ms. Sumner.
If the product of two terms
is zero then common sense says
at least one of the two terms
has to be zero to start with.
So if you move all the
terms over to one side,
you can put the
quadratics into a form
that can be factored...
allowing that side
of the equation
to equal zero.
Once you've done that,
it's pretty straightforward
from there.
In all my years of teaching.
I've never seen a mind like
the one your daughter has.
Katherine!
Hurry on now, love.
You have to go.
Let Mama tuck you in.
You have to see
what she becomes.
Okay,
try to turn it over now.
Katherine?
Mary!
Somebody!
Katherine!
Quit staring off into space
and turn the damn car over.
I got it.
I'm not deaf.
I wonder sometimes.
Here it goes.
Yeah, it's the starter.
That is definitely the starter.
This starter is starting
to make us late.
We are all gonna
end up unemployed...
riding around in this pile
of junk to work every day.
You're welcome
to walk the 16 miles.
Or sit in the back of the bus.
I won't do neither.
I'll hitchhike.
Girls.
No crime in a
broken-down car.
No crime being n*gro neither.
Button it up, Mary.
Nobody wants to go to jail
behind your mouth.
I'll do my best, sugar.
Not a great place for three
of y'all be having car trouble.
We didn't pick the place,
Officer. It picked us.
You being disrespectful?
No, sir.
You have identification on you?
Yes, sir.
Yes, sir.
We're just on our way to work...
at Langley.
NASA, sir.
We do a great deal
of the calculating.
Getting our
rockets into space.
All three of you?
Yes, sir.
Yes, Officer.
NASA.
Now that's something.
I had no idea they hired...
There are quite a few women
working in the space program.
Damn Russians are
watching us right now.
Sputniks.
You girls ever
meet those astronauts?
Mercury Seven?
Absolutely.
Uh, yes, sir. We work with those
gentlemen all the time.
Those boys are the best
we got. I'm sure of that.
Yeah.
Yeah.
We gotta get a man up
there before the commies do.
Yes.
Absolutely.
Whole damn country's
counting on them.
That's for certain.
Hard being of
service broken down
on the side of the road,
though.
Right, right.
Well, do y'all need a tow
or something?
No, thank you, Officer.
I think I got it.
Just give me my...
Just need to bypass the starter.
She's good at this stuff.
Whoo! Attagirl.
We're all set.
Well, hell, least I can do
is give y'all an escort.
I imagine you're
running late to work.
No, sir. We wouldn't
wanna bother you.
That would be
wonderful, Officer.
Thank you so much, sir.
Follow me.
I'm driving.
Hurry up, Dorothy,
before he changes his mind.
- We're coming.
- Hold your horses.
Yes!
Whoa, slow down, Mary!
Mary, slow down!
You're too close!
Be quiet.
He said to follow him.
He didn't mean up his behind!
Dear Lord, I don't even
know where to begin!
Oh, I'll tell you
where to begin.
Three n*gro women are
chasing a white police officer
down the highway
in Hampton, Virginia...
1961.
Ladies, that there
is a God-ordained miracle.
And, tomorrow,
I'm riding the bus.
I'm moving over
I'm on a sidewalk
I'm going over
Lift off
is good. Trajectory is stable.
Show me.
No, exactly.
40.349110 degrees North.
Ascent angle 46.56.
Approaching
7,400 miles per hour.
118 seconds.
Boosters have disengaged.
Second stage success.
Of junk-Sputnik 4 is orbital.
Orbital entry is established.
Russian orbital entry
is established.
Jim Webb.
Yes, Mr. President.
We certainly are, sir.
Uh, it looks like
they've achieved
at least one orbit, maybe two.
Chernushka is ready to go again.
So is our comrade, Ivan,
a brave space traveler.
We have proven life can
be sustained in space.
Now we will be first
to send a human.
A damn dog and a damn mannequin.
And then, a 1.6 megaton RDS-37
thermonuclear warhead...
drops down in the middle
of Des Moines.
Well, that's
a pretty big jump, sir.
What?
Just that...
Who the hell is he?
Paul Stafford, our lead
engineer, Mr. Webb.
I think what he meant to say...
is that speculation,
at least on our side of the equation...
by definition can be...
just a little dangerous.
Dangerous?
You know what's dangerous,
Mr. Stafford?
Inaction and indecision.
The Russians
have a spy satellite
lapping the planet,
taking pictures
of God knows what!
The President is demanding
an immediate response.
No more delay.
Alan Shepard, John Glenn,
your uncle Bob,
it doesn't matter.
Get us up there, Harrison.
We can't justify a space program
that doesn't put
anything in space.
How'd that feel in there, Paul?
You think you enlightened
the administrator?
Hmm?
No, he didn't look
enlightened to me.
He look enlightened to you, Sam?
Not particularly.
And just so you know,
he's not wrong about
what he said in there.
You know that, right?
Because now that
they can get up there,
a b*mb will follow.
It's what happens
to all our good ideas.
I imagine theirs too.
Where's...
Where's the machine?
Any day now,
Mr. Harrison.
Any day now.
Yes, sir.
What's it called?
The initials.
The IBM.
International Business Machines.
Space is a business.
I need a mathematician.
I'll put in
another request, sir.
"Another request."
Jesus Christ.
We don't have a single person
in this entire building
that can handle
analytic geometry?
That's what I've been told.
Tell me something else, Ruth...
like we're gonna find
such a person
before the Russians plant a flag
on the damn moon.
A real good time.
All right, Gloria.
You'll be with engineering,
building four.
Ladies, ladies.
If you're t*rd, you
don't get an assignment.
If you don't get an assignment,
you don't have a job.
Eleanor.
Data Reduction, building 202.
Data Reduction?
You're welcome
to join the charmers
in Magnetoplasma Dynamics.
Oh, no, ma'am.
Thank you. Data
Reduction is just fine.
Mm-hmm.
Mary.
Present.
The Mercury Seven prototype
has arrived for testing.
Mr. Zielinski's
requesting you
for permanent assignment.
Are you serious?
Get moving.
Ooh, thank you, Jesus.
Thank you, Jesus!
Oh, thank you. Mary, Mary.
Keep it inside.
Okay. I'm sorry, Dor.
All right, Ms. Late.
You will also be supporting
the east group.
Mrs. Mitchell.
We're on double-time
this morning, girls.
I need these calculations
before lunch.
Space Task Group
needs a computer, ASAP.
Someone with a handle
on analytic geometry.
We can't fill that position
out of the east group.
Permanent or temp?
Everything's temporary, Dorothy.
You have someone?
Yes, ma'am.
Katherine's the gal for that.
She can handle any numbers
you put in front of her.
I'll check her credentials.
Didn't think I'd come
all the way down here.
Here. Finish passing
those out.
Yes, ma'am.
Mrs. Mitchell.
If I could...
My application
for supervisor, ma'am.
Was just wondering if they're
still considering me
for that position.
Yes.
Well, the official word is no.
They're not assigning a permanent
supervisor for the colored group.
May I ask why?
I don't know why.
I didn't ask why.
We need a supervisor, ma'am.
We haven't had one
since Miss Jansen got sick.
It's been almost a year.
Things are working
just fine as is.
I'm doing the work
of a supervisor.
Well, that's NASA for you.
Fast with rocket ships,
slow with advancement.
Get those trajectory
I'll check worked out.
We need them
for the Redstone test.
Mach one tunnel test.
T-minus one minute.
No shoe is worth your life.
One moment.
T-minus 10, 9...
8...
7...
6, 5, 4...
Shut it down.
If we alter the exterior
from smooth to corrugated...
the capsule might have
more stability.
But the friction, it is
under during re-entry...
Most shield erosion occurs
on the posterior side
abutting the retro-boosters.
Conclusion?
The area closest to the boosters
is closest to the heat.
Coupled with rising
temperature on re-entry...
the contact softens.
We could consider
another fastener
other than the bolts.
Yes.
Yes.
There is another opening
in the Engineer
Training Program.
Flat head rivets
would reduce wind drag.
Mary, a person
with engineer's mind
should be an engineer.
You can't be a computer
the rest of your life.
Mr. Zielinski...
I'm a n*gro woman.
I'm not gonna entertain
the impossible.
And I'm a Polish Jew
whose parents died
in a n*zi prison camp.
Now I'm standing
beneath a spaceship
that's going to carry an
astronaut to the stars.
I think we can say we are
living the impossible.
Let me ask you...
if you were a white male,
would you wish
to be an engineer?
I wouldn't have to.
I'd already be one.
Skirts must be worn
past the knee.
Sweaters are preferred
to blouses.
No jewelry.
A simple pearl necklace
is the exception.
Your supervisor
is Mr. Al Harrison,
Director of
the Space Task Group.
You'll write research, proof
calculations, so forth.
Do not talk to Mr. Harrison
unless he talks to you.
Not many computers last
more than a few days.
He's been through a dozen
in as many months.
Come on, keep up.
Things move fast around here.
Your clearance.
They've never had a colored
in here before, Katherine.
Don't embarrass me.
This wasn't emptied last night.
I'm sorry, I'm not the...
custodian.
Excuse me, ma'am.
Mr. Harrison's computer
reporting.
Take the desk in the back.
I'll get you work in a bit.
Mr. Harrison won't warm up
to you. Don't expect it.
Do your work,
keep your head down.
Thank you.
Go on. Get settled.
Paul.
Why are we still losing shingles
off the heat shield?
We're working with a prototype
of the capsule, Al.
Its lid is one third the
size of what it's going...
I get that.
So, what do we do with our
million dollar fan, Karl?
Turn it down?
No, Al. I don't think...
It was a joke.
Paul, if the heat shield
comes off...
what do you think happens
to our astronaut?
I know.
So we're gonna come up
with a solve, right?
Yes, sir.
We're working on it.
Ruth, what's the status
on that computer?
She's right behind you,
Mr. Harrison.
Does she handle
Analytic Geometry?
Absolutely.
And she speaks.
Yes, sir. I do.
Which one?
Both.
Geometry and speaking.
Ruth, get me the...
You think you...
You think you can find me
the Frenet frame
for this data?
Using the Gram-Schmidt...
Orthogonalization algorithm.
Yes, sir.
I prefer it over
Euclidean coordinates.
Okay, good.
Good, then I'm gonna need
it by the end of the day.
Yes.
I'm also gonna ask you
to check
Mr. Stafford's math
as well as others' on this floor
from time to time.
I can handle that, Al.
I'm sure you can, Paul.
I'm sure they all can.
But if that were the case
shingles wouldn't be flying
off the heat shield,
now would they?
Excuse me, could I have
everyone's attention
for a moment?
Thank you.
Just to be clear...
in 14 days, the Mercury Seven
will be here for training.
And I have no doubt in my mind
that they're going to be
asking us questions
about our work.
I think that's pretty reasonable
given we're putting a human
on top of a m*ssile,
sh**ting him into space,
and it's never been done before.
Because it's never been done,
everything we do between now
and then is gonna matter.
It's gonna matter
to their wives...
to their children.
I believe it's gonna matter
to the whole damn country.
So this Space Task Group
will be as advertised.
America's greatest engineering
and scientific minds
are not gonna have a problem
with having their work checked.
Are they, Paul?
No, sir.
Good. So let's have
an amen, damn it.
Amen.
Amen!
All right.
My numbers are spot on.
I will double check them, sir.
No problem.
Uh...
I'm not gonna be able to...
Work on what you can read.
The rest is classified.
You don't have clearance.
These are the numbers
Mr. Harrison gave me.
Yes, I'm absolutely...
Excuse me.
May I ask
where the ladies' room is?
Sorry. I have no idea
where your bathroom is.
Yes, sir.
Uh, yes, sir.
Summertime in
Virginia was an oven
All the kids eating
ice cream with their cousins
I was studyin' while you
was playing the dozens
Don't act like you was there
when you wasn't
Runnin' from the man
Runnin' from the badge
Don't act like you was there
when you wasn't
Runnin' toward our plans
And the judges hands
Don't act like you was there
when you wasn't
I know they say
you crawl before you walk
But in my mind I already jog
If I stand still
I cannot get far
They want the moon I'm on Mars
Sometime my mind dives deep
when I'm runnin'
Together we'll fly
But no more runnin'
Ruth!
Yes, Mr. Harrison?
Ruth, where's that girl
with the numbers?
On a... break.
We take breaks now?
Sometime my mind dives deep
When I'm runnin'
I don't want no free ride
I'm just sick and tired
of runnin'
Together we fly
But no more runnin'
My God, where have you been?
Are you finished yet?
Uh...
Almost. He said
by the end of the day.
The end of the day around
here was yesterday.
I need those done first.
He wants those done first. Okay.
Get going-
I'm sorry about that.
Somebody's working on it
right now.
Mr. Harrison.
Yeah. Uh, Just set it...
You know.
And Stafford's
heat shield PHARRELL?
It's hard to be sure, sir.
Hard to be sure.
You know what we're doing here?
Trying to put
a man into space, sir.
That's right.
That's right. So you can
throw that in the trash.
Excuse me?
I said you can throw it away.
Here.
It's not an insult to your work.
It's just obsolete.
That's how fast things
are moving around here.
If I said I was sorry,
I'd be saying it all day.
What I'm asking you to do,
what I'm asking everyone
in that room...
all my geniuses...
is to look beyond the numbers.
To look around them.
Through them.
For answers to questions
we don't even know to ask.
Math that doesn't yet exist.
Because without it,
we're not going anywhere.
We're staying on the ground.
We're not flying into space.
We're not circling the Earth.
And we're certainly not
touching the Moon.
And in my mind...
In my mind, I'm already there.
Are you?
Yes, sir.
Good.
Because I don't need
another smart girl
with an adding machine.
Can I go, sir?
Yeah, go.
Yes, you can go.
We've been waiting for hours.
Next time, you take the bus.
She's in a mood.
People talkin'
tryin' to break us up
Why won't they let us be?
Brick and stones
may break my bones
But talk don't bother me
I've been abused
In my heart
I haven't been late
one day in 10 years.
Haven't been out sick.
Haven't complained.
My work's on time.
It's done right.
It's done well.
It's not fair, that's a fact.
What's not fair is having
the responsibility
of a supervisor...
- but not the title or the pay.
- Mmm.
Watching you two move on.
Now, don't get me wrong.
Any upward movement
is movement for us all.
Just isn't movement for me.
Truth be told, Dorothy...
I don't even know
if I can keep up in that room.
I'll be back with
the computers in a week.
Or out of a job entirely.
Oh, please.
You're better with the numbers
than anyone in there,
Katherine, and you know it.
Just make that pencil move
as fast as your mind does...
you'll be fine.
And you, have some respect.
Get your damn feet
off my dashboard.
This isn't your living room.
I sound like a supervisor,
don't I?
A mean old salty one.
Riddled with authority,
no question.
You don't mess
with Mrs. Vaughan.
Turn that music up.
Good night, Katherine.
Bye, Kat.
Good night, ladies.
- See you in the morning.
- Bye.
Hey, baby.
Hello, Mama.
I was fixing to call
the National Guard.
Sorry, Mama.
New assignment.
Space Task Group.
Oh, my word.
That sounds important.
It's a promotion?
It might be a slight promotion.
But you want the job, right?
I think so.
It's a challenge, but...
It's nothing you
can't handle, Katherine.
Thank you, Mama.
Are they asleep yet?
They're pretending to be.
- What are you doing?
- I don't...
They're not pretending
well enough.
Constance!
Thank you, Mama.
Love you.
This is my bed.
No.
Get off!
Go back to yours!
I'm oldest! No.
- What are you doing?
- Get off!
What are you doing?
It's not fair how Joylette
gets to sleep by herself
because she's the oldest.
Yes, it is fair.
No, it's not.
- Yes, it is.
- Nuh-uh.
Constance, Kathy, sit.
Now, I understand...
you want to be grown
and have your own space.
So, whoever sleeps in that bed,
in Joylette's place...
will also do the dishes...
take out the trash...
and do all of Joylette's chores.
That's okay. Never mind.
Yeah, she's not so
terrible to share with.
Okay.
Then don't let me come home
and find you like
this again, you hear me?
You're supposed to been
asleep a long time ago.
We just wanted to say goodnight.
You've been gone for 300 hours.
I know. I work a
full-time job now.
You all know that.
I have to be Mommy and Daddy.
I miss your father
just as much as anyone.
He's with the angels.
Yes, he's with all the angels.
And he's watching over us.
Every minute, okay?
That's why we have to be strong.
All right?
Yes, Mama.
Yes, Mama.
Y'all get some rest, okay?
Mama?
Yes, baby?
Are the Russians fixin'
to attack us?
Where'd you get that from?
We had to hide under
our desks today“.
All scrunched up.
Okay, baby,
that's called a drill.
It means, uh...
you practice safety
just in case something happens.
Truth is, we don't know
what they're doing up there.
You going to space, too?
No, baby.
But I'm going to do what I can
to help those brave men
get there. Yes, I am.
You could fly up to space
if you wanted to, Mama.
You could be an astronaut.
Did you draw this?
Yes, Mama.
Is that me?
Mmm-hmm.
You see this?
Oh, my goodness.
I love you, baby.
I know.
Come here.
All right. Now this time
really go to bed.
Okay?
I love y'all.
Good night.
Good night.
Good night, Mama.
I love my picture, baby.
Thank you, Lord.
- Praise God!
- Praise God!
Hallelujah!
Hallelujah!
Hallelujah.
Praise God...
that change is coming.
From the Southern Christian
Leadership Conference...
to the good reverend
Dr. King...
Amen!
Hallelujah!
To the students sitting in
at lunch counters
in North Carolina.
That's right.
Yes, sir.
His faith in us has no limit.
The good Lord
has our very own women
working on rocket ships.
And we have National Guardsmen
defending our freedom.
Give a shout of praise
for Colonel Jim Johnson.
Returning home,
by the grace of God
to set up a National Guard unit
right here in Hampton.
Can I get a hallelujah in here?
Hallelujah!
I just don't understand.
I don't understand it.
I don't wanna talk
about this again, okay?
A female engineer?
A female engineer?
We're n*gro, baby.
Ain't no such thing.
Understand it.
It's not like that there, Levi.
You can't apply for freedom.
Freedom is never granted
to the oppressed.
It's got
to be demanded. Taken.
Stop quoting your slogans at me.
There is more than one way
to achieve something.
I don't want any greens.
Hey. I tell you
about interrupting?
Here. Try this, baby.
Yes.
You're gonna eat
them greens, too.
Kids need
to eat their vegetables.
You'd know that
if you was ever home.
You better settle down,
Levi Jackson.
Unless you want
this female's mind,
right here,
in front of everybody.
All I'm saying...
don't play the fool.
I don't wanna see you get hurt.
NASA's never ever
given you guys your due.
Having a couple of extra degrees
ain't gonna change that.
Civil rights ain't always civil.
I don't want any greens either.
No lip, little miss.
Your brother gets them,
and so do you.
I hear he's planning
on staying in the area.
Oh, yeah?
Well, that's good for him.
Katherine, go find
your way over there.
That Colonel Jim
is a tall glass of water.
That he is.
Tall, strong, commanding.
And I bet he's like that
day and night.
Mary, it's Sunday.
Please have some shame.
I will not.
Hmm, I think he's
smiling over here.
At you.
Well I'm not smiling back.
Yes, you are.
Oh, child.
You are all teeth right now.
I am not.
Come over here.
He's coming over.
Now, why would he be doing that?
- 'Cause Mary's waving at him.
- No!
Ladies, I'm not ready. It's too late.
Fix your hair.
Hello, Colonel.
I'm Dorothy Vaughan.
That's Mary Jackson. I believe
you met her husband, Levi.
Yes, ma'am.
Good to meet y'all.
And Mrs. Katherine Goble.
She's not married.
She's a widow...
with three beautiful
little girls.
So well behaved.
Angels on earth is what
we like to call them.
Dorothy, slice of pie?
I'd love one.
Excuse me.
You already have
a slice of pie...
Uh-huh.
I was just, uh, fixing my
three babies some plates...
Let me help you.
Sure.
Fruit salad.
Mmm-hmm.
Pastor mentioned you're
a computer at NASA.
Yes.
What's that entail?
Oh.
We calculate
the mathematics necessary
to enable launch and landing
for the space program.
That's pretty heady stuff.
Yes, it is.
They let women
handle that sort of...
Uh...
That's not what I mean.
What do you mean?
I'm just surprised
that something so...
taxing...
Mmm-hmm.
Mr. Johnson.
If I were you, I'd quit
talking right now.
I didn't mean no disrespect.
I will have you know
I was the first
n*gro female student
at West Virginia University
Graduate School.
On any given day...
I analyze the manometer levels
for air displacement,
friction, and velocity
and compute
over 10,000 calculations
by cosine, square root...
and, lately, analytic geometry.
By hand.
There are 20 bright,
highly capable
n*gro women
in the West Computing Group.
And we're proud to be doing
our part for the country.
So, yes.
They let women do some things
at NASA, Mr. Johnson.
And it's not because
we wear skirts.
It's because we wear glasses.
Have a good day.
Scott, welcome to Langley.
Welcome to Langley.
Welcome.
Good to have
you here, gentlemen.
Thank you.
That's Alan Shepard,
U.S. Navy pilot.
He could be the
first man in space.
And that's Scott Carpenter
and Walter Schirra...
also Navy pilots.
All under 5' 11", 180 pounds.
IQ's over 130.
Mmm.
And handsome must be
a requirement too.
How could you possibly be
ogling these white men?
It's equal rights.
I have the right to see
fine in every color.
And that's John Glenn. He's
the only Marine Corps pilot.
Gentlemen, if we may,
much to see around here.
Well, heck, we haven't
shaken all the hands yet.
We have a fairly tight
itinerary, Colonel.
Ruth, he's fine.
He's coming this way.
Look straight ahead.
I'm looking right at him.
Ladies, I didn't wanna run
off without saying hello.
Seem to be in a big
rush around here.
The Russians certainly
aren't slowing down any.
They can't build
a damn refrigerator.
How the heck did they
beat us into space?
And what do you ladies do
for NASA?
Calculate your trajectories.
Launch and landing.
You can't get anywhere
without the numbers.
No, sir.
Mary Jackson, Mr. Glenn.
Engineering.
And I'm proud as the devil
to be working with you.
Thank you, Mary.
John.
John, let's take it inside.
Yes, sir.
Guys.
Nice meeting you guys.
Thank you, Colonel.
Good luck, sir.
God bless you all.
Thank you. That's wonderful.
Thank you!
Mr. Harrison wants you
to confirm
launch and landing for the
Redstone rocket test.
I cannot work on what
I cannot see, Mr. Stafford.
It's illegible.
Those numbers have
already been confirmed
by two engineers in this
department and myself.
This is more or less
a dummy check.
You have one, we make it two.
Make it double, okay?
We gotta get it.
Just make it happen.
No one thought to measure
these things?
I'm afraid not, sir.
Well, would you like us to stop?
No. No, just...
Actually, no.
Just keep going.
In fact, use the big hammer.
Yes, sir.
Come on, use the big hammer.
You heard the man. Let's go.
Watch out.
Ma'am.
Our runner can pick up
your work, Dorothy.
You need to be working,
not walking.
Oh, it's break time, ma'am.
No trouble at all.
Since you made the trip...
you can take that batch
over there.
Sure thing, Mrs. Mitchell.
You need something else?
Yes, ma'am.
I was wondering if you know
what they're building
over in the tech wing.
It's called an IBM.
A mainframe machine.
Apparently, it can
do our calculations
in a fraction of the time.
Hmm.
I guess that's good for NASA.
Hurry on, now. Best if
you do it in one trip.
Excuse me.
Hi.
What are you looking at, Paul?
Is that correct?
Yeah.
Whose work is that?
I said, whose work is that?
Katherine Goble, sir.
Hello.
Hi.
How did you know the Redstone
couldn't support orbital flight?
That's classified information.
It's top secret.
It's no secret why the
Redstone tests keep failing.
It's fine
for sub-orbital flight
but it can't handle
the weight of the capsule
and push it into space.
Numbers don't lie.
And you figured
all that out with this?
Half the data is redacted.
But what's there tells a story
if you read between the lines.
The distance from launch
to orbit, we know.
Redstone mass, we know.
Mercury capsule weight, we know.
And the speeds are there
in the data.
You did the math.
Yes, sir.
I looked beyond.
How do you know
about the Atlas rocket?
That's not math.
That data is not here.
Like you said, it's classified.
I held it up to the light.
You held it up to the light?
Yes, sir.
Well, there it is.
Mmm-hmm.
Atlas.
What's your name?
Katherine Goble.
Are you a spy, Katherine?
Am I what?
I said, are you a Russian spy?
No, sir.
I'm not Russian.
She's not Russian, sir.
All right then, we have
nothing to lose here.
Give her everything she needs
to work on Shepard's
trajectories.
Without redaction.
Are we clear on that?
Are we sure about this?
What's the issue, Paul?
You heard her.
She's not a spy.
I just don't think
it's a good idea.
You know what I think's
a good idea? Darker ink.
I think darker ink's
a good idea.
Ruth, could you pass it along?
Yes, sir.
Thank you, Katherine.
Thank you, sir.
This interrogation's over.
You can probably get to the
moon and back with this.
Just not the bathroom.
At least they're not
blind of what you do.
It's not gonna matter soon.
This IBM's gonna
put us all out of work.
How you doing?
What can we do about it?
Only one thing to do.
Learn all we can,
make ourselves valuable.
Somewhere down the line,
a human being
is gonna have
to push the buttons.
That's right.
Oh, mercy.
Well, she must be lost.
NASA doesn't commission females
for the Engineer
Training Program.
That position is available
to any qualified applicant.
Right. Except, you don't have
the educational requirements.
I have a bachelor's degree
in mathematics
and physical science.
It's the same as most
engineers around here.
We now require advanced
extension courses
through the University
of Virginia.
It's in the employee
handbook. In addendum.
In case you haven't read it.
Every time we have a chance
to get ahead...
they move the finish line.
I just follow the rules
around here.
And I expect everyone
who works for me
to follow them as well.
There are no special
circumstances for anyone.
Y'all should be thankful
you have jobs at all.
"For those that cannot attend classes
at the University of Virginia...
"advanced extension courses
are available
"at the Hampton High School."
That's still a
segregated school, Mary.
Virginia acts like Brown
versus Board of Education
never happened.
They are never gonna
allow a colored woman
to just take classes
at an all-white school.
Well, sounds about right.
That's all you gonna say?
I'm not gonna sit here all day
and listen to you complain
about the way things are.
We're trying to play cards.
Petition the court.
Fight for what you want.
But quit talking about it.
I've been complaining?
For days.
Ladies.
Not one more peep about work.
Deal me in.
Katherine?
- Come on.
- Oh, no.
Right here.
You.
Child, I needed this.
Thank you.
Don't give her
anymore, Katherine.
I can't. She drank it all.
Listen, I'm fine.
I'm as fine as I have ever been.
You're drunk
as you've ever been.
Come on. Let's dance, ladies.
Come on, Kat. Let's dance.
Go and dance with her,
Katherine.
Come on.
Get out here.
Hide that.
We gonna teach you how to dance.
You go ahead.
All right.
It's too low.
We gonna teach you
how to get a man.
Teach me? What? MARY: That's right.
Come on!
You got to know how to dance.
Slow. Slow.
Come on.
Twirl it around.
Twirl, twirl.
Yes!
Twirl, twirl, twirl.
Whoo! Look at her,
Dorothy.
Can I win me one of those
fancy dance contests?
Whip it around.
Yeah, and on the outside.
Was it better than Mama's?
No, not really.
Segregation must go!
Segregation must go!
Segregation must go!
Segregation must go!
Don't pay attention to all that.
We're not part
of that trouble. Go on.
"Mind. They must have done..."
We don't want any trouble
in here.
Oh, I'm not here
for any trouble, ma'am.
What are you here for?
A book.
You have books
in the colored section.
It doesn't have
what I'm looking for.
That's just the way it is.
Go on, now.
You know better than this.
Get your hands off my boys!
Don't touch them.
You have a blessed day.
Separate and equal
are two different things.
Just 'cause it's the way,
doesn't make it right.
Understand?
Yes, Mama.
You act right, you are right.
That's for certain.
Understand?
Yes, Mama.
You took that book, Mama?
Son, I pay taxes.
And taxes pay for everything
in that library.
Can't take something
you already paid for.
"Fortran is a new
and exciting language...
"used by programmers
to communicate with computers.
"It is exciting, as it is
the wave of the future."
All right, everybody smile.
- Everybody smile.
- Aw!
Make a wish.
Make a wish.
Blow. Try again.
There you go.
Leonard, you need
to get you a job now.
Two jobs.
Your baby is nine.
What are you gonna do?
Thank you, man.
Yeah, you're just in time.
Look at that.
Look at what?
What a surprise.
Can't complain, man.
I'll say.
Howard must have invited him.
Mmm-hmm.
Let me go help them
with those flowers.
Walter, you behave yourself.
Now, you know, I'm just... Yeah.
That's right, baby.
Shake it.
Yeah. There you go.
Good to see you.
Yes. Thank you.
I believe I owe you an apology.
Well, was that it?
Can I make it while we dance?
I'm afraid I simply misspoke
the other day, Mrs. Goble.
I've been away for a long time.
I imagine I'm just
out of practice.
Mmm-hmm.
I was hoping you'd allow
me to start over.
Mmm-hmm.
See, the thing is...
I have an interest in
getting to know you better.
Mmm-hmm.
You're one tough customer, huh?
You haven't said
you're sorry yet.
Right.
Of course.
I'm sorry, Katherine.
For what, Jim?
Underestimating you.
And any other woman like you...
Though I don't imagine
there's many.
That's good practice,
right there.
We interrupt
this musical programming
with breaking news.
The Soviet news agency
has announced
that Russian cosmonaut,
Yuri Gagarin,
has become
the first man in space.
Gagarin completed
one full orbit around the planet
in 108 minutes.
Stay tuned to this station
for more details
as they become available.
Guess that puts us
behind the curve.
The Vostok-1 rocket...
delivered Russian cosmonaut
Yuri Gagarin's 3KA capsule...
into orbit, at 6:07 UTC...
Reentering Russian airspace
at 7:55 UTC.
Proving conclusively that man
could survive
orbital space flight.
Gagarin was awarded
the Order of Lenin
and a Gold Star...
Well, they beat
the pants off us.
Let's go.
He is also conferred
the title...
Let's learn how to fly to space.
"First Soviet Astronaut"...
and has been proclaimed
a national hero.
This is a day
of unprecedented triumph...
for the Russian space program
and a crushing blow for America
in the race for space.
I wanna thank everyone
for staying.
I know it's late.
And after what I just saw,
I'm sure everyone's probably
anxious to just go home.
Before we do, I just
have to ask a question.
The same one
I've been asking myself
all the way over here...
which is...
How the hell did we find ourself
in second place
in a two-man race?
Anybody?
Paul?
And I think Glenn said it
pretty well.
They're just outworking us.
The reason I have to think that
is because I refuse to believe
that the Russians
are smarter than us
or that they have
more technology,
or that they care more.
But I don't know.
Is that possible?
Is it possible that it actually
means more to them?
We're in the fight
of our lives, people.
We're not on some epic joy ride.
I just saw seven faces
who aren't sure
that we can get there.
This is our problem.
And so as of right now
there's only two things you
need to know going forward.
One is staying here,
working late,
that's gonna be a fact of life.
And two, don't expect
your paychecks
to reflect the extra time
it's gonna take
to catch up
and pass those b*stards.
For those of you
who can't work that way,
I understand and thank you
for what you've done.
For everyone else...
I suggest you call your wives
and tell them how it's gonna be.
I'll start with mine.
Sam, turn it up.
Turn it up.
Yes, sir.
John.
Morning, sir.
7-5, 7-4, 7-3...
End of the day.
Okay, we're looking good.
Okay.
Sir, might be
the selector latch.
I'm taking a walk.
We're honored
to serve our country.
So we don't think about danger.
We don't have time to be scared.
We got a job to do.
Good morning.
Good morning.
Mrs. Jackson.
Colored seats are at the back
of the court room.
Thank you, ma'am.
So, which one of you
wants to go first?
The IBM 7090
data processing system.
It has the capability of solving
over 24,000 multiplications
per second.
Holy Moses,
that's lightning fast.
They'll never get that to work.
Oh, it'll run eventually.
And when it does, we have
to know how to program it.
Unless you'd rather be
out of a job.
No, ma'am.
Mr. Z...
I got a court date.
"The computer uses it
"as its high speed storage unit,
"an information
holding device."
Hmm.
You have a brain.
That I can work with.
This is in the wrong spot.
Attagirl.
Ruth.
Yes, sir. Get me the
Cape on the line.
Shepard's trajectories
need to be updated.
Wow.
Where is she?
You and I are no
different from each other
Shut our eyes
when we slumber I see numbers
Black and white
we're computers, I am color
Don't act like
you was there when you wasn't
I don't want no free ride
Some nights I cry
'Cause I can see the day comin'
Together we fly
Oh, but no more runnin'
No more runnin'
Where the hell have you been?
Everywhere I look, you're not
where I need you to be.
It's not my imagination.
Now where the hell
do you go every day?
To the bathroom, sir.
To the bathroom?
To the damn bathroom.
For 40 minutes a day?
What do you do in there?
We're T-minus zero here.
I put a lot of faith in you.
There's no bathroom for me here.
What do you mean there is
no bathroom for you here?
There is no bathroom.
There are no colored
bathrooms in this building
or any building
outside the West Campus,
which is half a mile away.
Did you know that?
I have to walk to Timbuktu
just to relieve myself.
And I can't use
one of the handy bikes.
Picture that, Mr. Harrison.
My uniform...
Skirt below my knees, my heels,
and a simple string of pearls.
Well, I don't own pearls.
Lord knows you don't pay
coloreds enough
to afford pearls!
And I work like a dog,
day and night,
living off of coffee from a pot
none of you wanna touch!
So, excuse me
if I have to go to the restroom
a few times a day.
There you have it.
No more colored restrooms.
No more white restrooms.
Just plain old toilets.
Go wherever
you damn well please.
Preferably closer to your desk.
Here at NASA, we all
pee the same color.
Heard you was fighting the flu.
Figured you could use some soup.
Hot meal for the girls.
Come on in.
Excuse me.
Okay, ladies.
Let's say grace.
Bow your heads.
Dear Lord, thank you
for this meal.
We ask that you bless this food
so that it may bless our bodies.
In Jesus's name we pray.
Amen.
Amen.
It's a historic day,
here at Cape Canaveral.
And here's what we can expect.
Alan Shepard and Freedom 7
will be launched into space
at an altitude of about
116 miles an hour.
Dorothy, come on, you gonna miss it!
Oh, boy! Go.
- Come on, Dorothy.
- I'm coming.
Then he will land
around 35 miles
off the coast of Florida...
where he'll be picked up
by the men
of the USS Lake Champlain...
Finally. Come over here.
Who set out
for this historic purpose.
Freedom 7,
we're going to have to bleed off
some of the pressure
inside the liquid oxygen tank.
That should reduce the temperature
inside the capsule. Over.
Any day now, CAPCOM.
Fix your little problem
and light this candle.
Roger that, Freedom 7.
Stand by.
Temperature is returning
to normal.
Running one more
launch status check.
All systems now go.
Move to final countdown
sequence.
Moving to final
countdown sequence.
Roger that.
We're at T-minus 10...
nine...
eight...
seven...
six...
five...
four...
three...
two...
one...
zero.
We have ignition.
And we have lift off.
Get up there.
Lift off,
and the clock is started.
Fuel is go. 2.5 G.
Get on up there.
- Come on!
- Lift off at
34 minutes after the hour.
Pitch 88.
Trajectory is good.
Yaw is okay.
Switching manual roll.
Yes!
For the eyes of the world
now look into space,
to the Moon
and to the planets beyond.
Yes!
We did it!
And we have vowed...
that we shall not
see it governed...
by a hostile flag of conquest...
but by a banner
of freedom and peace.
We set sail on this new sea...
because there is new knowledge
to be gained...
and new rights to be won.
We choose to go to the Moon
in this decade
and do the other things...
not because they are easy...
but because they are hard.
Suppose we should all
thank President Kennedy
for the continued job security.
Uh, Gus Grissom's up next.
Another suborbital flight
with a Redstone.
It's our last shot
before we strap Glenn
to the Atlas
and pray we can bring him
back down.
Yes, and I imagine he'd like us
to have the math
worked out beforehand.
Good work, gentlemen.
Go have dinner with your kids
and let's get back to work.
Look what you've done to me
Make me behave like
I wouldn't ever
I know you're the one for me
Your essence is the ink
in the word "forever"
I think it's high time that
I kissed you, Katherine.
Oh, and why is that?
Figured you attracted to me,
same as I to you.
Is that right?
Mmm-hmm.
Or you would have told me to
get going a long time ago.
Haven't kissed a man
in a long time.
Almost forgot how to.
The FBI
has arrested four white men
accused of throwing a fire b*mb
into a Freedom Rider bus
outside of Anniston, Alabama...
- Hi, babies.
- The bus filled rapidly
Hi, Mama.
With black smoke.
We all hit the floor.
AH of us realized
the bus was on fire...
and had to go out into the mob.
The kids don't need
to be watching this.
They need to see this.
When we got off the bus
in Birmingham...
Everybody needs to see this.
Took me and forced me
out of the door...
and threw me into the crowd.
And then I was beaten by one
big guy and several others.
We think we're rendering
a great service to our nation.
For this is not a struggle
for ourselves alone.
It is a struggle
to save the soul of America.
Mary Jackson.
Petition to attend courses
at Hampton High School.
Good morning, Your Honor.
Hampton High School is
a white school, Mrs. Jackson.
Yes, Your Honor.
I'm aware of that.
Virginia,
still a segregated state.
Regardless of what
the federal government says,
regardless of what
the Supreme Court says,
our law is the law.
Your Honor, if I may.
I believe there are
special circumstances
to be considered.
What would warrant
a colored woman
attending a white school?
May I approach your bench, sir?
Your Honor...
you of all people
should understand
the importance of being first.
How's that, Mrs. Jackson?
You were the first
in your family
to serve in the Armed Forces.
U.S. Navy.
The first to attend university.
George Mason.
And the first state judge
to be recommissioned
by three consecutive governors.
You've done some research.
Yes, sir.
What's the point?
The point is, Your Honor...
no n*gro woman
in the state of Virginia...
has ever attended
an all-white high school.
It's unheard of.
Yeah. Unheard of.
And before Alan Shepard
sat on top of a rocket,
no other American
had ever touched space.
And now, he will forever
be remembered
as the U.S. Navy man
from New Hampshire,
the first to touch the stars.
And I, sir...
I plan on being
an engineer at NASA,
but I can't do that
without taking them classes
at that all-white high school.
And I can't change
the color of my skin.
Sol have no choice
but to be the first.
Which I can't do
without you, sir.
Your Honor...
out of all the cases
you're gonna hear today...
which one is gonna matter
100 years from now?
Which one is gonna
make you the first?
Hmm.
Only the night classes...
Mrs. Jackson.
Yes. yes, yes!
Yes!
Oh, my God.
I cannot believe.
How late did he say
he was gonna be?
Excuse me. No
more than five minutes, sir.
Gus Grissom's coordinates.
Uh, I'd like to get a jump
on John Glenn's trajectory.
Do you have any idea
what you're asking?
An orbital launch with an Atlas
rocket is going to take time.
Is there a problem?
Mr. Harrison...
I was wondering.
Uh-huh. I've been
wondering my whole life,
so you just spit it out.
Well, sir...
I would like to get a jump
on John Glenn's trajectory.
This isn't about
plugging in numbers,
it's about inventing the math.
And I think you and I
talked about that, right?
It doesn't exist.
I can do it, sir.
Do you have any idea
how exacting
these calculations have to be?
It's like sh**ting a sawed-off
shotgun from a thousand feet
and getting that one BB through a
hole so tiny, you can't even see it.
Okay, let me see
what you've got.
I'm an excellent shot, sir.
How have the
Grissom numbers been?
They've been spot on.
Give Glenn's orbit a go.
But you run it all through
Stafford, you understand?
Yes, sir.
Thank you.
Computers don't author reports.
CAPCOM, this is Liberty Bell 7.
Loud and clear.
Okay, it's a nice
ride up to now.
Roger.
Liberty Bell 7,
this is Hook 1 approaching.
Ready to hook on. Over.
I read you loud
and clear. Over.
The hatch is blown, CAPCOM.
The Liberty Bell 7
capsule is taking on water.
Gus Grissom
is out of the capsule.
Rescuers are now going
to pull him
from the ocean waves.
Unfortunately, the Liberty
Bell 7 capsule is lost.
Mama.
I can't, I can't.
Mary.
Mr. Harrison,
taxpayer money
sank into the ocean
along with your capsule.
So what makes you think
you can bring
John Glenn home safely?
Let me say first...
discovery is never
just for the sake
of discovery, gentlemen...
but for the sake
of human survival.
And it will always
come with a risk.
Whoever gets there first
will make the rules.
That's been true
of every civilization.
And so, I think
the bigger question
for this body to consider is...
who do you want calling
the shots in space?
We have to know
what's out there, Senator.
We have to touch the stars,
if only to ensure
our own survival.
And only a man can do that.
We'll get John Glenn home safely
because we have to.
Because he has to tell us
what he saw.
The Redstone rocket
went straight up.
But the capsule
didn't have enough speed
to go into orbit,
so it came back down.
Essentially a triangle.
Earth, sub-orbit, Earth.
That math was known.
That took Shepard, took Grissom.
That cannot take Glenn.
Now, the Atlas rocket...
that can push us into orbit.
Goes up, delivers the capsule
into an elliptical orbit.
Earth's gravity
keeps pulling at it
but it's going so fast,
it keeps missing the Earth.
That's how it stays in orbit.
Now, getting it back down...
that's the math we don't know.
Yes, Katherine.
So the capsule will spin
around the Earth forever
because there's nothing
to slow it down?
That's right.
Slowing it down at precisely
the right moment,
at precisely the right amount,
that's the task.
Yes, Katherine.
So it needs to move
from an elliptical orbit...
to a parabolic orbit.
Yes.
That's the "Go/No-go."
Now at this point,
it's a pin head.
We bring him in too soon...
He burns up on reentry.
That's right.
We bring him in too late...
he's pushed
out of Earth's gravity.
And any changes to mass,
weight, speed, time...
distance, friction,
or a puff of wind...
would alter the "Go/No-go."
And we start
our calculations over.
Yes.
So we need to be able to
choose this reentry point.
Now this "Go/No-go,"
this has to be exact.
Sam.
These are the latest
Redstone numbers
in current capsule data.
Obviously, we know
the launch spot.
Thanks.
A Pentagon briefing
should illuminate
where the Navy
needs the recovery zone.
Then we work backwards
from there.
And the rest is on us,
so let's get to work.
Uh, Mr. Stafford.
What, Katherine?
If I could attend the briefings,
I'd be more useful
to the project.
Pentagon briefings
are closed door.
Yes, but if we don't
have the information
of the changes...
we can't keep up.
I need those changes
as they occur.
As you said, it's a pin head.
Katherine, that's the job.
You asked for this assignment,
so just calculate
with what you have.
Or we'll find someone who can.
Okay.
Attagirl.
What the hell are you doing?
You can't be in here.
Who are you?
I'm with
the West Computing Group.
Dorothy Vaughan, sir.
This is a very delicate
piece of equipment.
I'm sorry, sir. I'm just
trying to be helpful.
Uh-huh.
Bill, we've got numbers.
What kind of numbers?
Well, I'll be.
What's your name again?
Dorothy Vaughan.
Dorothy Vaughan.
Sir, the parameters
for Friendship 7.
Oh, this is all moot.
We're altering the
window on the capsule.
When did this happen?
Six minutes ago.
The math is changing.
Start over.
Sir, if I could attend the
briefings, I could stay current...
Katherine, we have
been through this.
It is not possible.
There is no protocol
for women attending.
There's no protocol for a man
circling the Earth either, sir.
Okay. That is just
the way things are.
Colonel Glenn's
launch coordinates,
accounting for
the window change, sir.
I have told you this.
Computers don't
author reports. Fix it.
Those are my calculations.
My name should be on it.
That is not the way this works.
Paul. What's
happening here?
Mr. Harrison, I would like
to attend today's briefing.
And why is that?
Sir, the data changes so fast.
The capsule changes.
The weight and the landing zones
are all changing, every day.
I do my work, you attend
these briefings,
I have to start over.
Colonel Glenn launches
in a few weeks.
We don't have the math
figured out yet.
Why is it she can't attend?
Because she doesn't
have clearance, Al.
I cannot do my work effectively
if I do not have all of the data
and all of the information
as soon as it's available.
I need to be in that room,
hearing what you hear.
Pentagon briefings
are not for civilians.
It requires
the highest clearance.
I feel like I'm the best person
to present my calculations...
You're not gonna let this go, are you?
No, I am not.
And she is a woman.
There is no protocol
for a woman
attending these meetings.
Okay, I get that part, Paul.
But within these walls,
who makes the rules?
You, sir. You are the boss.
You just have
to act like one. Sir.
You keep quiet.
Thank you.
Good morning.
Gentlemen.
This is Katherine Goble
with our Trajectory
and Launch Window division.
Her work is pertinent
to today's proceedings.
Come on.
Wanna get her a chair?
We have a
confirmed launch window...
Get her a chair, please.
Yes, sir.
We have a
confirmed launch window
for Friendship 7.
Let's discuss a landing zone.
The Navy needs
a singular landing zone.
20 miles square is what we
can service for retrieval.
Outside of that
we risk the capsule's recovery.
We'd like three possible
recovery areas.
We can't cover
half the damn ocean.
With all due respect,
our capsule's being
altered daily.
We're orbiting the Earth
at what speed now?
Uh...
17,544 miles per hour...
at the time the rocket
delivers the capsule
into low space orbit.
Well, that's one hell
of a speeding ticket.
Okay.
So we have the vehicle's speed,
the launch window...
and for argument's sake,
the landing zone
is the Bahamas.
Should be enough
to figure the "Go/No-go"?
Yeah, in theory, sir.
We need to be past
theory at this point.
We'll be able to
calculate a "Go/No-go"
with that information.
When exactly
is that gonna happen?
Katherine.
Have a go at it.
The "Go" point for re-entry
is 2,990 miles
from where we want
Colonel Glenn to land.
If we assume
that's the Bahamas...
at 17,544 miles per hour...
upon re-entry...
370 feet...
at a descent angle...
of 46.56 degrees.
Distance...
velocity squared, sine...
gravity squared.
Sine, 32 feet.
And the distance would be...
20,530,372 feet...
or 2,990 miles...
or 46.33 degrees.
Okay, so that puts
your landing zone
at 5.0667 degrees North...
77.3333 degrees West.
Which is here.
Right here.
Give or take 20 square miles.
I like her numbers.
Thank you.
That, of course, is assuming
the capsule hits
the re-entry point exactly.
How do we ensure that?
That's the math we don't
have yet, gentlemen.
We're working on it.
Katherine.
What's it gonna take to make
this thing worth the price tag?
We're just getting up
to speed here, Mr. Harrison.
I need more manpower.
I need programmers,
folks to feed the cards.
Get them, for crying out loud.
Okay.
You're the IBM man, right?
Yes, sir.
Go pull them out of the sky
if you have to.
Let's get ahead of this thing
or I'm not paying you.
Understood.
I got that one, I got that one.
I'm not paying any of you.
Me?
Temporarily, yes.
We need the IBM
for Glenn's launch.
The lead engineer says
you're good with the cards,
programming and such.
What about the girls here?
Human computers can't
calculate an orbital flight
in the time we have.
They'll stay put for now.
What about after now?
After Glenn's launch,
NASA's dissolving
the computing groups.
I'm not accepting reassignment
unless I bring my
ladies with me.
Excuse me?
We're gonna need a lot of
manpower to program that beast.
I can't do it alone.
My gals are ready.
They can do the work.
Ladies.
We've been reassigned.
Leave your calculators.
You won't need them
where we're going.
Welcome, ladies.
You know what your job is, Paul?
Find the genius
among those geniuses.
To pull us all up.
We all get to the peak together
or we don't get there at all.
Yes.
Well, good night, sir.
I don't know what time
I'm coming home.
Class ends at nine.
You got something to say?
I thought you might need these.
You can refill them with
any weight lead you want.
You see, you just
hit the top like this.
All right?
The lead comes out.
You put the new lead in...
and new pencil.
You gonna make a fine engineer.
You think so?
Yes.
And nobody dare stand
in the way...
of Mary Jackson's dreams.
Myself included.
Don't make me mad again.
Yes, ma'am.
And don't make me late, either.
You gonna be late.
I'mma make you late.
You won't be late.
All right, gentlemen.
Tonight, we discuss
Planck-Einstein
wavelength relationships.
Yes?
I'm Mary Jackson.
I'm enrolled.
Well, the curriculum
is not designed
for teaching a woman.
I imagine it's the same
as teaching a man.
I don't see a colored section.
Should I just take any seat?
Thank you.
Okay. Uh...
Planck-Einstein.
The problem...
is when the capsule moves
from an elliptical orbit
to a parabolic orbit.
There's no mathematical
formula for that.
Because we can calculate
launch and landing...
but without this conversion
the capsule stays in orbit,
we can't bring it back home.
Maybe we've been thinking
about this all wrong.
How's that?
Maybe it's not new math at all.
It could be old math.
Something that looks
at the problem numerically,
and not theoretically.
Math is always dependable.
For you it is.
Euler's method.
Yes.
But that's ancient.
But it works.
It works numerically.
That's it.
Let's type it up.
Okay.
Huh.
Dorothy.
Mrs. Mitchell.
You're working late today.
Seems to always happen that way.
Yes. Seems to.
Thank you.
I hear the IBM's
up to full capacity.
You certainly
have a knack for it.
My father taught me a thing
or two about mechanics.
You know, I have a few
girls in the East Group
that have an interest
in learning more about it.
It is the future.
I may bring them by,
if it's all the same to you.
That's not my decision, ma'am.
That would be the supervisor's.
Yes, that's true.
Good night, Mrs. Mitchell.
You know, Dorothy.
Despite what you may think...
I have nothing against y'all.
I know.
I know you
probably believe that.
Good night, Katherine.
Good night.
Mama!
Hey, babies.
Mama.
Hi.
HEY-
Oh, please don't tell me
I missed someone's birthday.
No, you didn't.
No, you didn't, Mama.
Madame, your seat.
Well, thank you.
Wait, is it my birthday?
No, Mama.
You all look so pretty.
Mama, what's going on?
Good evening, Katherine.
So you're not gonna
say anything?
It's not my place.
You, either?
Okay, I'm not gonna
do this all night.
Oh, mother of mercy.
That's for me.
Are you sad, Mama?
No.
It's okay, Mama.
He's a good man.
I know.
I just can't help it.
He hasn't even asked you yet.
I know, but he is.
You are, right?
If y'all will let me.
Well, go on.
She's already crying.
Oh, hush.
This was my mother's ring.
It's beautiful.
She and my father
were married for...
For 52 years.
Figure it's about as lucky
a ring as you can get.
The day I met you,
I called my mother
and I said, "Mom, I met the
woman I want to marry."
What'd she say?
She said, "She must be
something, Jimmy.
"Really something."
Then what'd you say?
I said, "No.
"She's more than something.
"She's everything."
Now...
I planned on this being
more romantic.
I'll make that
up to you real soon.
It's okay.
But I know marrying you
includes marrying
your girls as well.
Amen to that.
I do.
I didn't ask you yet.
Hurry up.
Oh, my goodness.
Oh!
My babies. Look, girls,
isn't it beautiful?
Look, Mama.
The
Mercury-Atlas space vehicle...
Which will put John Glenn,
the first American,
into Earth's orbit...
has already undergone
five unmanned flight tests.
NASA has confirmed
that the IBM 790
data processing system...
has been utilized to confirm
all of the mission's...
launch and recovery
system calculations.
The modifications
and equipment installations
are progressing on schedule.
Yes, sir. Right in here.
You wanted to see me, sir?
Have a seat.
Is there something wrong,
Mr. Harrison?
No, there's nothing wrong.
In fact, our IBM
is churning out numbers
in fractions of the time
any human can.
Present company included.
That's good then.
Maybe.
The thing is,
the Cape's now insisting
on doing all the backups
down there, on site.
I see.
So we won't be
running backups here.
And truth be told, we can't
keep up with that IBM anyhow.
Long story short,
we no longer need
a computer in this department.
Progress
is a double-edged sword.
Let's have you report back
to the West Group for now.
We'll see if we can find
another assignment.
Thank you, sir.
Katherine, I'm...
I'm sorry about this.
It's out of my hands,
if you can believe that.
I understand.
Katherine.
We heard you got engaged.
Yes.
That's thoughtful of you.
They're lovely.
Mr. Harrison's idea, really.
Although I suspect his
wife did the picking out.
Can't imagine he has an eye
for anything but numbers.
Now you have a great wedding.
You did good work
around here, Katherine.
Hello there.
Good to see you.
Hi, Reverend. How you doing?
How are you?
I don't think I felt a thing
the first time I did this.
I was so nervous.
You're just as beautiful
as you were back then.
- You think so?
- Mmm.
Just a little older.
And a little fuller.
But you look good.
Well, here we go. Again.
Project Mercury...
named after the winged messenger
of the gods in
Roman mythology. Today,
three years, two months,
and three days afterwards...
we're ready,
after 10 scheduled attempts...
Attagirl.
To try again to put
our first man into orbit...
to put Colonel John Glenn
into orbit.
Colonel John Glenn will be the
first American to orbit the Earth.
As you can see, there are
thousands of people here today
to witness this historic event.
Paul, something's off here.
These landing coordinates
don't match yesterday's.
The IBM just ran them.
Well, then the IBM
was wrong yesterday.
Right?
Or the damn thing's wrong today.
Paul, am I right?
It appears so.
The IBM's been spot-on
up to this point, John.
But we'll run it again,
see what it comes up with.
Look, I'm gonna be
honest with you, Al.
When I fly, I fly the machine.
And right now it seems like
this machine is flying me.
We're on the same page, John.
Our guys are on it.
Let's get the girl
to check the numbers.
- The girl?
- Yes, sir.
You mean Katherine?
Yes, sir. The smart one.
I mean, she says they're good,
I'm ready to go.
All right. We'll get into it.
Roger.
Sam.
Go find Katherine Goble.
She needs to verify
Glenn's "Go/No-go,"
or we're staying on the ground.
Yes, sir.
I'm looking for Katherine Goble.
It's Katherine Johnson now.
They need you to verify
these coordinates.
And tourists have poured
into Cocoa Beach for weeks.
Took this whole area
surrounding Cape Canaveral
and Florida, really.
And all around the country,
it's as if time...
All right, give her
some space. Let her work.
As we await
Colonel John Glenn's launch.
A truly historic day
for America.
The country has waited
for several months,
through many failed unmanned
Atlas rocket tests
and 10 scheduled
manned attempts...
which were canceled
for various mechanical
or system complications.
Even the weather...
All the final tests and checks
are being conducted.
John Glenn is ready to board
the Friendship 7.
But today we remain
truly optimistic,
and it's a "Go" day
in all regards.
The capsule is ready.
The rocket itself is A-Okay,
and the weather here
at Cape Canaveral...
Anything from Langley?
Not yet.
We are being told
that Mission Control at NASA
is conducting
a final check of the launch
and recovery coordinates.
Including the "Go/No-go"
calculations...
so crucial
to a safe and successful
launch and recovery.
After years of
waiting, and months of delay,
Colonel Glenn is finally ready
for that space flight...
that we've been waiting for
with so much anticipation.
These last-minute
checks could indicate
a hesitancy on NASA's behalf.
But let us say,
without reservation...
that the safety
of Colonel John Glenn
is paramount to the mission...
and to the nation itself.
No, sir.
We're still a go.
Yes, sir.
That's it.
What the devil are you doing?
Are you taking a break?
Yes!
Say yeah
Yeah
Say, yeah!
Yeah
Don't you know, we never ever
Never know what makes us major
Your and my alchemy
Yes, we can
One and one equals three
Yes, we can
I feel it like lightning
in the forest
Yes, we can
Pick a number, pick a note
Harmonize the chords
You're my woman
don't need another
Get behind the other
We can lift each other
It's all very well
that we may never...
Whoo!
Do you have the time?
Yes, we can
Like a solar system
they're surrounded by you
Yes, we can
Pick a number, pick a note
Harmonize the chords
You're my woman
don't need another
Get behind the other
we can lift each other
It's all very well
that we may never...
Whoo!
You're my woman
Don't need another
Get behind the other
We can lift each other
Whoo!
Sir.
Pad 14.
Katherine.
Come on.
Sir, we've got
Pad 14 on the box.
All right.
Let me in there.
This is Langley, we have
the coordinates confirmed.
Stand by, Langley.
We can confirm...
the "Go/No-go" point
for re-entry is...
16.11984 degrees latitude...
-165.2356 degrees longitude.
The launch window is a go.
The landing coordinates match.
That is very good news, Al.
It's a little hard to trust something
you can't look in the eyes.
That's right, Colonel.
Katherine did manage
to calculate
a few decimal points further
than that hunk of metal.
I will take every digit you got.
Be sure to thank her for me.
Gentlemen,
let's launch this rocket.
Good luck, Friendship 7.
Godspeed, Langley.
Here at Cape Canaveral...
the countdown has resumed...
as Colonel John Glenn...
is now aboard
the Friendship 7...
high above the
Atlas rocket on Pad 14.
A height of over 93 feet.
So far, the countdown is...
These are pictures
from Cape Canaveral, Florida.
The gantry is now moving back.
We are go for launch.
The Mercury
spacecraft umbilical is out.
T-minus 10 seconds,
and counting.
Water systems, go.
Mercury capsule, go.
Eight, seven...
Six, five...
Ready engine. Start.
Four...
three, two...
Good Lord, ride all the way.
One, zero.
Ignition.
Lift Off.
The M-A 6 vehicle
has lifted off.
It's getting
a little bumpy along here.
Roger that.
You are in Max Q.
Roger that, CAPCOM.
AH systems are reported go.
20 seconds to SECO.
The trajectory
is still A-Okay.
Go for SECO.
Roger that, CAPCOM.
Go for SE CO.
Zero G and I feel fine.
John Glenn reports
everything looks good.
Oh, that view is tremendous!
Roger that, Friendship 7.
You are go for orbit.
Thank you, CAPCOM.
All right.
Ten and a half hours to go.
If we make seven round trips.
I could use a coffee.
Well, as we
approach the end of the day
here on the Eastern Seaboard...
Colonel Glenn is just
beginning his third orbit...
three-quarters of the way
across the African continent.
We see he's currently
over Zanzibar...
which is the next
tracking station coming up.
Thankfully,
the Friendship 7 capsule is...
New assignment
came down the pike.
Always changing around here.
It's hard to keep up.
Seems like they're going
to need a permanent team
to feed that IBM.
How big of a team?
Thirty, to start.
Thank you for the information,
Mrs. Mitchell.
You're quite welcome,
Mrs. Vaughan.
Hmm.
We have a warning light.
CAPCOM 7,
I have a warning light.
Stand by, Seven.
Sir, we have a warning light.
What are we looking at, Paul?
Uh...
The heat shield
may have come loose.
Seven, will you confirm
the landing bag
is in the off position?
Affirmative, CAPCOM.
Al, we need to get him down now.
He could burn up
on re-entry.
Come on, babies.
There is a man in space.
And we don't want to miss it,
so we gotta hurry.
Something's wrong with Glenn!
What's going on?
Come on, let's go.
Come on. Hurry up, now.
Y'all follow me.
We just learned
that the Friendship 7...
is in danger of losing
its heat shield.
Have you heard
any banging noises...
or anything of this type
at higher rates?
That is a negative, CAPCOM.
This poses a grave danger
to the mission.
Tell them not to jettison
the retro-package.
NASA is confirming there is
some sort of malfunction
with the capsule's
heat shield...
and it may not stay in place.
If the heat shield's loose...
the retro-package straps
might hold it in place.
Will that work?
It will work.
It will hold it until he
reaches the "Go/No-go" point.
It will work.
Al, he has
to override the .05G.
Do it.
Friendship 7...
we're recommending
that the retro-package not...
I repeat, not be jettisoned.
This means that you will have
to override the .05G switch.
Roger.
Is there a reason
for this? Over.
Stand by, Seven.
Not at this time, Seven.
Roger that, Command.
I will make
a manual .05G entry...
and bring the scope in. Over.
He knows.
Without a heat shield...
there is no way that
Colonel Glenn can get back
through the Earth's atmosphere.
The heat is simply
too overpowering.
A malfunction in the automatic
control system...
is causing the spacecraft
to yaw in a skid-like fashion.
Thus putting the Friendship 7's
re-entry point in jeopardy.
Even now, Colonel Glenn is streaking
toward the United States.
And he must begin
the retro-sequence
300 miles west of California...
if he's to reenter
the atmosphere
at the designated point...
and land in the recovery area
700 miles south
and east of Florida.
Stay tuned to this station
for further details.
You're going to be
using fly-by-wire
for re-entry.
You'll need to maintain
a zero angle, over.
Roger. I'm on fly-by-wire.
Back it up with manual. Over.
Keep talking to him.
Roger.
The weather,
the recovery area...
three foot waves,
10 miles visibility.
CAPCOM, you're going out.
He's crossing the
communication blackout zone.
There's a real fireball outside.
It's getting
a little hot in here.
CAPCOM, do you copy?
Friendship 7,
do you copy'? Over.
Again.
Friendship 7,
do you copy'? Over.
Friendship 7,
do you copy'? Over.
Loud and clear, CAPCOM.
Roger that.
How are you doing?
My condition is good.
That was a real fireball. Boy!
Roger that.
Let's get you all the way home.
Roger that.
Here's hoping these landing
coordinates still hold.
Approaching 16.11984.
Roger.
Approaching
minus 165.2356...
in three, two, one.
Engaging chutes.
Beautiful chute!
How are we looking, CAPCOM?
Your “Go/No-go" is good.
Landing coordinates
are spot on, 7.
Roger that, CAPCOM.
I've always wanted to swim
in the Bahamas. Over.
John Glenn has splashed down
and he is being recovered.
Thank you!
John Glenn has
splashed down safely...
and is being recovered
by the USS Noe.
Good job. Great job, guys.
Katherine.
Nice work.
You too, Mr. Harrison.
So, um...
you think
we can get to the moon?
We're already there, sir.
Yeah.
Thank you so much.
Thank you.
Girls, this is
Mrs. Vaughan...
your supervisor.
She'll show you how things work.
Come on in.
The IBM 7090 data
processing system...
is capable of solving 24,000
multiplications per second.
They'll call it a mystery
But we're gonna call it Victory
We'll be writing history
It's gonna be
Victory
They'll be signs on top of signs
Just so you know the
History
It's saying victory
ls with me
Oh, let them laugh about it
Don't worry
what the doubter's saying
Yes, it's an uphill battle
But guess who else is playin'
The next time y'all in action
And the ghost is in the room
Watch you work
through the masses
You know that we've been used
Don't let it be
Don't let it be
No matter how deep
I swear just believe
You'll find victory
Find your victory
They'll call it a mystery
But we're gonna call it
Victory
We'll be writing history
It's gonna be
Victory
They'll be signs on top of signs
Just so you know the
History
It's saying victory
ls with me
The Bible says
you should pray for nothing
'Cause every week
it's gonna be something
You know the devil
can't wait to jump in
And complicate
the things you trust in
But I know my foundation
ls solid
and can take some hating
Prayer's gon' be
on this space station
On the way to the master's apron
They'll call it a mystery
Victory
We'll be writing history
It's gon' be
Victory
It's saying victory
ls with me
Hey!
Oh
When I first got here
I defined my way
But the end of the days
were dark
When I was not clear
You showed me my mistakes
But told me keep the pace
Don't get lost
So should I not fear, yeah
That's how it feels
when you love me
And you're my sightseer
'Cause before I'm in a rut
You multiply by 10 times
what they took from me
You send out a branch
from the longest tree
When I'm in quicksand
But in my mind
it's really your arm to me
Can't believe it, what a
lift and hard to believe
Surrender
But there's a difference
Surrender, surrender
'Cause I understand
Explain to me
There's no coincidence
Just confirmation
Let me see them hands
I was down on myself
And I called you
And your answer is
"What can I do?"
So much you do for me
In the sound of my breath
seen all the years
Of surrender
Just know I'm here
Reporting for duty
When it feel this good
Don't ever let go, go
Don't ever let go, oh
When it feel this good
Don't ever let go, go
Don't ever let go, oh
Don't ever let go, oh
Hard to believe
Surrender
but there's a difference
Surrender, surrender
'Cause I understand
Explain to me
There's no coincidence
Just confirmation
Let me see them hands
Please, just wave
Wave, wave
Wave, wave wave
In this place
Just wave wave
Wave your hands
Wave, wave
Try to understand the way
I've been behaving
It's a funny thing
you really gotta see
ls it just your love
that's got me going crazy?
Or are my eyes playing with me
AH day your love just
comes shining down
Just like the sweetest bees
I feel you from
my root to my crown
It's mighty good to me
Like caramel
He's right beside me
My mind's his carousel
It's how he rides me
So there's no parallels
Y'all know me very well
It's yellow lightning
Try to understand the way
I've been behaving
It's a funny thing
you really gotta see
ls it just your love
that's got me going crazy
Or are my eyes playing with me
Just like a mirage
I love you like you were gold
Just like a mirage
I love you like you were gold
Just like a mirage
I love you like you were gold
Gold, gold
And I'm sorry, baby
For the what ifs, maybes
I've taken too far
I know I must be looking crazy
I'm sorry, baby
For the what ifs, maybes
I take it too far
You know I must be looking crazy
Try to understand the way
I've been behaving
It's a funny thing
you really gotta see
ls it just your love that's
got me going crazy
Or are my eyes playing with me
I spent many nights
on my knees praying
From the side effects
of all this heat
But I'm telling y'all
it does feel amazing
Or are my eyes playing with me
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Hidden Figures (2016)
Biographies Movie Collection