Ep 6. Vostock

It's 1961, and NASA is in a mad rush to put the first American astronaut into space. The Mercury Seven have been whittled down to Scott Carpenter, John Glenn, Alan Shepard, Walter Schirra, Deke Slayton, and Gus Grissom. In Episode 6 of The Right Stuff, titled "Vostok," the Cold War is heating up, and the Soviets have thrown down the gauntlet by launching Yuri Gagarin into space, making him the first human being to orbit the Earth. Now it's up to the American space program to prove that they can match the Russians and achieve their own space milestones.

The episode begins with the Mercury Seven returning to Cape Canaveral after a publicity tour, only to find out that they’ve been grounded from flying and going on any further promotional tours. The news of Gagarin's flight has rocked the country, and NASA is under intense pressure to produce their own successful mission to counteract the Soviet Union's space achievements. Although the America Mercury team is forbidden from flying, they’re not willing to let the Russians beat them in the space race. The episode paints a picture of the astronauts feeling somewhat underfulfilled with all of their time being spent on training and not being able to do what they were trained to do: fly.

The episode shifts focus to the Soviet Union, where we see Gagarin being celebrated as a national hero. The Americans are stunned when they hear he circled the globe in just 108 minutes, and it becomes clear that there's no room for complacency if they're to catch up. NASA decides to put a chimpanzee named Enos into space as a test run before sending humans up, and this news delights the media and spectators as they anticipate yet another space program milestone.

Deke Slayton is increasingly frustrated with his hearing disorder, and in the episode, he travels to Washington, D.C. to see a specialist. The medical examination is a big deal for Deke, but he receives the unfortunate news that there's nothing that can be done to help him but he is still determined to fly. Meanwhile, Alan Shepard deals with his own health issues as he undergoes surgery to remove the benign tumors on his kidneys. The character development of the Mercury Seven is crucial in this episode, showcasing them as humans with desires, struggles and life outside the capsule.

As the space race becomes ever more contentious, President Kennedy makes a landmark speech about landing a man on the moon, setting a goal that many feel is unrealistic. The astronauts, however, are excited by the challenge, and they hope that the President's talk will be the fuel that ignites NASA's continuing mission. As they wait for their chance to get back in the game, the team finally receives some good news: they have been cleared to fly again and resume training.

The episode ends on a relatively high note, as we see the Americans launch their rocket with Enos the chimp. While the audience sees him go through some difficulties during his flight, the success of it gives hope to the Mercury Seven and NASA as a whole. The Right Stuff Episode 6. "Vostok,” is a heart-racing glimpse into the past, as we witness how the United States space program is trying to catch up with the USSR in the race to be the first nation to explore space. Through missions, hardships, personal struggles and the revelation of momentous new goals for the space program; the show's sixth episode is a must-watch for both history and space exploration fans alike.