Key insights from
Mercury Rising: John Glenn, John Kennedy, and the New Battleground of the Cold War
By Jeff Shesol
Audio available
14 minute read
Published Jun 1, 2021
What you'll learn
In 1962, Americans were earthbound sitting ducks in the breeze of Russia’s cosmic flight. With the Soviet Union’s launch of Sputnik in 1957, followed by a string of increasingly awe-inspiring endeavors, Americans figured their nation was faltering. After a period of continuous false starts, the eventful mission of NASA astronaut John Glenn proved them wrong, altering the mindset of millions of people before he even returned home. Prolific historian and former presidential speechwriter Jeff Shesol narrates the engaging drama of the nation’s first venture into outer space—a story of science, war, and American perseverance.
Key insights
- • What you'll learn
- 1 The launch of Sputnik compelled Americans to think twice about their country’s capabilities, even if their president failed to care.
- 2 Early NASA was simply a shot in the dark.
- 3 Father, marine, and NASA astronaut, John Glenn surpassed and fulfilled societal expectations all at once.
- 4 The Mercury Seven didn’t always get along—most of them were envious of their charming (though unofficial) front man John Glenn.
- 5 JFK saw space exploration as an ideological weapon and NASA as his silver bullet.
- 6 John Glenn’s ascent was much more than an inspiring bit of history; it was a transformative flight for the entire world.
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