"FIRST MAN" (2018)

Armstrong

by

Josh Singer

Based in part upon the book First Man by James Hansen

Writer's Revised Draft May 11, 2016

OVER BLACK:

STATIC. And then faint, choppy MILITARY COMMS. Playback from an old reel-to-reel. Slowly we realize... it’s inRussian.

A VOICE begins to translate...

Calculated orbit achieved.

CREDITS OVER BLACK. Small font, the corner of the screen. But our focus remains on what we’reHEARING. [NOTE: This scene is played entirely over black as credits roll]

see, I... I am over America.

MURMURS. A reaction. Then a CLICK; the Comms go silent. As credits continue, we hear papers SHUFFLING; chairs CREAKING.

VOICE #1 (SORENSON) Jack needs a public response.

This voice is a bit clearer. But only a bit. It still feels likeLO-FI TAPE of a meeting. An important meeting.

VOICE #2 (LOW) Shepard’s scheduled... in 2 weeks.

VOICE #3 (WEISNER) (hard to hear) Why not... something... clearer long- term benefit. Desalinization--

VOICE #4 (GILRUTH) Not our current program. The Soviets are too far ahead.

We feel the room turn to this new voice.Quiet. Commanding. We don’t know it yet, but this isBOB GILRUTH.

We hear paper shuffling. A report DROPPEDon a table.

A beat. More paper SHUFFLING.

LOW

Thirty five, maybe forty. WEISNER

Forty million doll...

We hear a door open. A whisper.

The sound of chairs PUSHED BACK. Men SHUFFLING out. Then...

THE CREDITS END. A moment of SILENCE OVER BLACK.

Then we hear it. A low RUMBLE.

It grows LOUDER... thenLOUDER STILL. A screaming ENGINE. And HOWLINGWIND. BURSTS of STATIC. Faint COMMS.

It SURROUNDS us, filling us with dread,POUNDING US INTO--

A pair ofBLUE EYES. TICKING back and forth. Rapidly. We’re knocked out by this FIRST IMAGE, by the eyes, oblivious to the RAW and FRIGHTENINGWALL OF SOUND all around us.

JOE (COMMS)

Data check? NEIL (O.C.)

2 APU on. Cabin pressure is good, 3500 on #1, 3355 on #2. Platform internal power.

PULL BACKTO FIND NEIL ARMSTRONG, 31, in a silver pressure suit and helmet. Neil is INTENSE and INTENSELY FOCUSED, impressive given the SEVERE TURBULENCE that bangs him around the cockpit.

JOE (COMMS)

What’s your mixing chambers? NEIL (INTO COMMS)

-44 and -45.

BUTCH (COMMS)

Two minute point. NEIL (INTO COMMS)

MH circuit breakers on...

Neil flips a switch on the low tech console.He glances up from the analogue dials and out the cockpit window...and if the plane looks like aROCKET, it’s ‘cause it is.

This is theX-15. And as we're about to see, it's the FASTEST FUCKING AIRCRAFT EVER MADE.

But just now, it isn't flying... or rather, not flying alone. Neil’s X-15 is attached to the wing of a B-52 --BALLS 8, a four engine BEHEMOTH that’s shaking even more than the X-15.

It’s more than a bit terrifying, but Neil calmly hits another switch as he’sKNOCKED across the cockpit.

It’s classic Armstrong understatement; underscored as we see the B-52 pilot (BUTCH)TOSSED against the window of his plane.

This just drives Neil into deeper focus.

your heart rate at 145.

No reply. Neil’s eyes TICK METHODICALLYfrom gauge to gauge.

Neil’s not gonna engage. Whatever adrenaline spike his body is experiencing, Neil’s determined to remain detached.

A beat. We can almost hear JOE WALKER, on the other end of the comms, debating whether to abort. At last, he relents.

JOE (COMMS)

Okay. Arm switch lite NEIL (INTO COMMS) checks. Going to prime. Ammonia up.

In the bumpy cockpit, Neil springs back into action.

BUTCH (COMMS) NEIL (COMMS)

Twenty seconds to drop -- Rog, precool on, lox pump

bearing plus eight.

on 3, 2, 1, release...

Suddenly the X-15 isRELEASED from the wing of the B-52. Through the cockpit window, we see the B-52RISE SHARPLYas the X-15DROPS IN FREE FALL...

A FREE FALL we feel in our gut becauseWE’RE NOT CUTTING AWAY. And if you haven’t figured it out by now, WE’RE GONNA BE IN THE COCKPIT WITH NEIL FOR THIS ENTIRE HEART-POUNDING RIDE.

So. We’re DROPPING. FAST. Neil PUNCHESthe igniter... the rocket LIGHTS and WE HEAR THE ROAR OF57,000 POUNDS OF THRUST.

The words are literally left behind and Neil’sTHROWNback into his seat as the rocket TAKES OFF at aVIOLENTRATE. Neil FIGHTS OFF6 G’s, reaching for the stick.

He tilts the stick slightly and the planeBUCKSTO THE RIGHT, TOSSINGNeil like a RAG DOLL and TAKING OUR BREATH AWAY.

Pulling up, I’m indicating Mach 3.

Neil pulls on the stick andRISES SHARPLYtowards the heavens. He’sPRESSED into his seat and we see the plane’s blue nickel nose, glowing CHERRY RED from the heat.Sweet Jesus.

Okay, I’m...

Neil’s eyes TICK to the altitude gauge, SPINNING UP past 150,000 feet. He makes an adjustment as the X-15 PUSHES THROUGH THE HORIZON, BLUE SKY NOW TURNING TO BLACK...

Yes, that's Mach 5.8, almost 4,000 mph,and we feel every bit of it... ‘til we pass 170,000 feet and Neil CUTS THE ENGINE...

...JOLTING him against his harness... andINTO MICROGRAVITY.

For a moment all is STILL. Quiet. We hear a BUZZ over the radio, but it's GARBLED. Far away.

Neil punches a few buttons as A LOGBOOK FLOATS PAST HIM... because WE’RE SUBORBITAL, high as the first Mercury flights. So yeah, things float. Oh, and the view is pretty good too...

Neil looks out, takes in the earth stretching, curving away below the BLACK SKY. The STARS. The MOON.

Everything is quiet save for the low purr of the APUs. Neil turns his attention to the G-LIMITER GAUGEas the X-15 slowly falls back to earth, the altitude gauge starting to spin...

The planeSHAKES, but Neil stays focused on the G-limiter, creeping towards 2.5 G's. Which is when we hear it...

AnODD SOUND. A MECHANICAL WHINE. It seems out of place. Neil ignores it as gravity takes hold,PRESSINGhim forward against his seat straps. We hear GARBLED BUZZ over comms.

Again, Armstrong understatement... the planeSHAKES VIOLENTLY as the altitude gauge spins down past 120,000, theBLACK SKY FADING BACK TO BLUEas we fall back into the atmosphere.

WINDWHIPS over the plane. Neil reduces his angle of attack, still focused on the G-Limiter, still ignoring thatODDWHINE.

left turn.

Neil pulls on the stick, eyes FIXEDon the G-limiter, FAILING TO NOTICEthe plane isn’t turning... that the altitude gauge isHOLDING at 115,000 FEET. Slowly, it begins toCLIMB...

116, 117, 118... THE SKY TURNS FROM BLUE TO ACHILLING BLACK. The shaking STOPS, the whipping wind FADES toEERIE SILENCE.

The comms are drowned out by theODDWHINE. Neil, FIXATED on the G-limiter, doesn’t see the altitude gaugeFLIPPING UP...

Joe’s voice cuts through the whine, whichFADES. Neil BLINKS, noticing howQUIET it is... the plane has stopped shaking.

Neil’s eyesTICK from the black sky to the altitude gauge... 120, 121, 122... SHIT. He realizes he’s fucked up.

atmosphere, hard left!

NeilYANKS on the stick, eyes DARTINGfrom the dynamic pressure gauge to the vista sailing by below.

Unlike Joe, Neil remains calm... but as wePUSH INON HIS EYES ticking from gauge to gauge, we see the INTENSITY, the FOCUS.

Neil drops the stick, grabs the ballistic controls.We hear a HISSas a BURST of peroxide gas SHOOTS OUTfrom the nose of the plane and Neil'sTOSSED BACK in his seat...

...the plane’s noseFLYING UP TOWARDS THE SKY, the horizon now ABOVENeil’s head; the black sky, the stars,BELOW his feet.

And we realize... NEIL'S FLIPPED THE X-15 ON ITS BACK, THE NOSE IS STICKING STRAIGHT UP IN THE AIR!HOLY SHIT!!!

The canopy view is crazy, mountains above, sky below, the world upside down, but Neil keeps his eyes on theALTITUDE GAUGE, inching up. 123, 124... thenHOLDING at 125,000 FEET.

A beat... then it begins toDROP. 123, 120, 115, 105...

The sky once againFADES TO BLUE and we hear a SLIGHTWIND under the plane. Neil's eyes TICK from the altitude gauge to the dynamic pressure gauge...

Neil reaches for the stick... but the atmosphereGRABSTHE PLANE,PULLING IT DOWN ON ITS BACK! FUCK! Neil STRAINS to hold on as he'sTHROWN around the cockpit with 9 G'S OF FORCE!

The altitude gauge SPINS down atTERRIFYING SPEED.95, 90, 85...Shit. Neil STRUGGLES, WRESTLINGwith the stick... until he manages toFLIP the lifeless planeRIGHT-SIDE UP. Jesus.

As Neil points the plane towards Edwards, the RADIOSQUAWKS--

Neil scans the landscape, searching for the desert runway as the planeDIVES LIKE A BRICK towards the mountains...

Neil’s eyes TICK over the horizon, but he knows what’s coming--

NeilBEARS DOWN, trying to GLIDE the engine-less plane farther than ever. Yes, the X-15 was BUILT to land without power... but generally, a pilot had A LOT more altitude to work with.

The planeSHIMMIES back and forth, windHOWLING at 300 knots.

His eyes DART from the distant desert landing strip to the altitude gauge, dropping 20,000 feet per minute. Neil FLIPS his head bumper... and SMOKE POURS from the instrument panel.

The cockpit is FILLED with smoke...

Neil hits a button. WHOOSH! The plane dumps peroxide and the smoke clears the cabin, but the view is HARDLY A RELIEF...

Neil pulls the stick to hold altitude, but he keepsDROPPING. 9,000... 8500... 8000 feet... Fuck. It's going to be close.

We see Butch’s B-52SWING UP on Neil’s right.

Neil REACTS, ANNOYED at himself. HeHITS the ventral button. The ventral finBLOWS OFF and the planePITCHES forward...

NeilSTRUGGLES with the stick... 4,000, 3,500, 3,000 feet...

NeilPUNCHES the flaps. The plane BUCKS UP, reaching towards the runway... and now theODD MECHANICAL WHINEreturns.

PUSH INon Neil, INTENSITY BURNING as the whineCRESCENDOS... 2,000, 1,000, 500 feet...the planeHURTLES past the edge of the brush,JUST CLEARING THE JOSHUA TREES!!!

Neil PULLS UP HARD, flaring the plane, nose up, skids down...

The plane SLAMS DOWN with a BANG. ItSKIDS ROUGHLY across the desert... SHAKING VIOLENTLY... And just as we think it might BREAK into a million pieces, Neil HITSthe back fin brakes...

The plane goes into a CONTROLLED SLIDE... kicking up a HUGE CLOUD of dust... and TOSSING NEIL ACROSS THE COCKPIT... until at last, the plane eases to a HALT.

For a moment, all is STILL. Silent. Then Neil STIRS... leans forward and takes his helmet off.

BUTCH (COMMS) JOE (COMMS)

Son of a bitch! (clearly relieved)

Very nice, Neil. Posse will get there shortly.

As the dust clears and Neil looks out towards the fire trucks in the distance rolling towards him, weCUT TO--

An Air Force jeepWIPES FRAME... REVEALINGEDWARDS AFB FIRE TRUCKS, NASA PICK UPS and TECHS surrounding Neil’s X-15.The period cars are cool, but our eye is drawn to the X-15.

It’s our first real look at the hypersonic rocket plane.The long fuselage, the thick dorsal wedge fin, the NASA signage...

It's every bit as awesome as the flight we just witnessed.

PUSH INon THE OPEN COCKPIT. NASA Engineers take readings off the instrument panel while Neil makes notes in his logbook. A beat, then Neil finishes up and climbs out of the cockpit.

A FAMILIAR VOICE. ‘Butch’ Butchart, 30s, flight gear, walks up with Neil’s boss, Joe Walker, 40, thoughtful. Butch GRINS. Neil nods stiffly as a TECH with a MAP calls out.

Butch heads off. Joe turns to Neil.

Joe looks at him, concerned. But Neil’s not going there. A FLIGHT SURGEON who’s been waiting by the plane intercedes.

Joe nods. Neil follows the surgeon off. Joe turns back to his jeep, only to find a grizzled AIR FORCE COLONEL, late 30s.

But it’s not clear Joe believes that.The Colonel’s tag GLINTS in the sun. C. YEAGER.

Yeager heads out. As we HOLD ON Joe, wondering if Yeager’s right, we hear it again... that ODD MECHANICAL WHINE... the same unnerving sound Neil heard in the X-15.It takes us to --

CLOSE ON a 2-year-old girl (KAREN).Quiet, self-contained.

PULL BACKto see a COBALT RADIATION MACHINEHULKING over her. The source of the now familiar WHINE,it beams GAMMA RAYS into her brain as she lies on a gurney.

HOLD for an AWFUL BEAT... then REVERSE TOthe OBSERVATION WINDOW. Neil and his wife, JANET, 27. Watching.

Janet BLINKS back tears, reaches for Neil...

He takes her hand, but he’s focused on the nearby INSTRUMENT PANEL... his ever alert eyesTICKINGacross the console as a TECH adjusts RADIATION LEVELS, sets the dials...1.17. 1.33.

Neil slips his hand out of Janet’s, pulls out a LOGBOOK to jot down the numbers... all while trying to block out thatSOUND.

HOLD ONNeil as the WHINE CRESCENDOES. Relentless.

QUIET. Janet on the floor outside Karen's bedroom, her son, RICK, 4, asleep in her lap. In SOFT B/G, NeilSINGS softly to Karen, then kisses her forehead...

HOLD ONJanet trying to keep it together as Neil walks out.

Janet nods. Exhausted. Neil tousles her hair then gathers Rick in his arms. As he carries Rick off,CUT TO--

Neil tucks Rick in, METHODICALLY straightens the sheets.He spots a mess of an unfinished model plane on the desk.Neil COMPULSIVELY moves to tidy it up... then pauses. And SITS...

...in the half light, he glues on a wing and gently blows it dry. The precision is calming. He’d keep at it, but the doorbellRINGS. Reluctantly, Neil stands and weCUT TO --

Neil leads Joe Walker in. Joe carries in a casserole.

No. Neil hands Joe a beer. They drink.

Neil doesn't want to talk about it.An awkward beat. Then --

Joe nods. Neil’s eyes TICK to the NASA X-Press newsletter in a pile of mail on the table. NASA To Select More Astronauts.

Joe clocks the emotional DENIAL, but doesn’t comment on it.

A small space. A desk, some shelves. A light CLICKS ON. Neil walks down the stairs, over to the desk.He sits.

We now see neatly stackedMEDICAL BOOKS, mimeographed copies of scientific RESEARCH PAPERS. All marked and tabbed.

Neil opens a LARGE COMPUTATIONAL NOTEBOOK filled with TIDY NOTES. He writes Cobalt Session No.2...then pulls out his logbook. He transfers the radiation levels. 1.17. 1.33.

A beat. He adds a new heading. Side Effects. Neil pauses. Then... Fatigue. Dizziness. Extreme headache. Vomiting (repeated). Hair loss/Scalp irritation. Loss of appetite.

Neil stops writing. He scans the list, then grabs a stack of papers on COBALT THERAPY andTUCKS them into a MANILA FOLDER that he places on a shelf. Beside aDOZEN other folders.

Neil takes a breath, then reaches for a dog-eared research paper from Johns Hopkins. Pre-Adolescent Glioma of the Pons: Experimental Treatments & Therapies.It’s WELL-MARKED.

Neil's clearly read it a hundred times.Yet he picks up a high-lighter and starts to read. Again. DETERMINED.

Off Neil, wePRELAP the chilling sound of aMECHANICAL CRANK --

CLOSE ONa CRANK. Turning. Lowering a small coffin.

TIGHT ONNeil with Janet and their son, Rick. All in black. Janet and Rick cry as KAREN’S COFFIN sinks.Neil does not. He’s impassive... but he HUGS his family CLOSE.TIGHT. The SOUND of the crank takes us to --

A LONG PUSH INover trays of food. Dark suits and dresses. Quiet murmurs. No laughter or smiles, no pleasant small talk.

There is no pain like the loss of a child.

We pass Joe and his wife, huddled with Janet.Neil’s by the window nearby. Watching Rick toss a ball in the yard...

BARELY ENDURING the condolences, the soft pats on the back.

Just when it looks like Neil might break, he SLIPS AWAY. Winding through the crowd. Towards the basement door.

The desk now a MESS. Marked up medical books and scattered papers. Neil's notebook, now FILLED, lies open.

We hear the door. Neil walks down the stairs, moves to the desk. His eyes TICK over books... papers... the notebook.

A beat, then Neil closes the NOTEBOOK... slowly pulls together the PAPERS and the BOOKS...

...and, up on a high shelf, carefullySTACKS THEM ALL AWAY.

Neil’s eyes TICK over theEMPTY DESK. Then he turns off the light. And exits. We HOLD on the shelf, thenCUT TO --

CLOSE ONa WESTCLOX ELECTRIC ALARM CLOCK, hour hand near six.

A beat, then we PAN over to Neil. Staring up at the ceiling. Wide awake. The alarm TRILLS. Neil turns it off as Janet stirs. Groggy, she rolls over, reaching for him.

But he's already gone. Off Janet, ALONE...

Joe, Butch and another pilot enter, coats and coffee.Jawing, laughing... until they spot Neil. Working at his desk.

The men PAUSE,AWKWARD. SURPRISED to see him.

Butch and the other pilot head to their desks.Joe leans in.

Joe sees he’s not going anywhere, starts to head off when --

Butch clutches a XEROXED MEMO. He holds it up. A DIAGRAM of a strange, spider-like contraption, a cockpit on top.

Butch tosses the memo, exits. As Joe goes after him, Neil GLANCES at the memo, contemplating the challenge.His eyes TICKover the DIAGRAM, curious, absorbed... alive.

A beat, then Neil REACHES for the memo and weSMASH TO --

CLOSE ONa SYRINGE pumping water into a MAN'S EAR.

Astronaut Selection, Project Gemini August 13, 1962

The syringe empties. A TECH dips it in a bucket of ICE WATER, refills it and turns back to... Neil.In his underwear.

Neil eyes a SECOND TECH with a stopwatch as theWHOOSHof ice water in his ear propels us into aSERIES OF SHORT SCENES--

ISOLATION ROOM

Two TECHS walk Neil into the empty, windowless room.

They leave and close the door. The lights flick off. It's PITCH BLACK. Silent. A beat. Then we hear Neil hum.

INTERVIEW ROOM

A STACK of 'TESTS' is dropped on a desk in front of Neil.He eyes the first test. For each of the paired statements below, select the statement that best fits your personality.

Neil digs in: (1) I worry a lot about things in the future that could go wrong; (2) It takes a lot for me to get angry.

A beat. Neil circles NUMBER TWO and moves on...

EXAM ROOM TWO

A foot PLUNGES into an ICE BATH.

A tech starts a stopwatch, watches Neil.Who settles in.

ISOLATION ROOM (PITCH BLACK)

We see nothing, hear nothing... but Neil.

EXAM ROOM ONE

More ice water shoots into Neil's ear.The tech nearby glances at his stopwatch. Neil’s jaw sets.

INTERVIEW ROOM

A last pair:(1) I like to help friends when they’re in trouble; (2) I like to do my best in whatever I undertake.

Neil reads, thinks and circlesNUMBER TWO. Then he puts the test aside and reaches for the next one.

Draw a picture of yourself. A beat. As Neil starts to draw --

EXAM ROOM TWO

Neil's foot in an ice-bath. Turning WHITE. The tech with the stopwatch jots down a note. Neil doesn't move.

INTERVIEW ROOM

Neil finishes a fairly generic stick figure drawing of himself. He turns the page. Draw a picture of your family.

Neil HARDENS. As he STARES at the blank page, weCUT TO --

ISOLATION ROOM (PITCH BLACK)

Neil trails off. A LONG BEAT. We feel himSTRUGGLING. Then, just when we think he might to break...

EXAM ROOM TWO

Neil's foot in an ice bath. Now BLUE. Neil bears down.

EXAM ROOM ONE

WHOOSH... The tech unloads another syringe into Neil's ear. PUSH INon Neil, blank, NUMB. And as we goTIGHT ON HIS EYES, we see it again. The pain there. The deep, deepPAIN.

Neil BANGS on the door. It opens, the light JARRING. Neil blinks, then walks out. He follows a tech down the hall... but weHOLD ON a MAN in a tie and shirtsleeves.

MeetDEKE SLAYTON, 37, slightly gray, MACHO back when that was appealing. Deke turns to the tech with the stopwatch.

The tech shows Deke the watch. 2:03.

The hall lined with chairs, candidates reading PROJECT GEMINI briefing books. FIND Neil looking for a seat... whenPETE CONRAD, 32, a wicked witted wasp from Princeton calls out.

Neil looks at him, BLANK.

Pete SMIRKS, trades a look withED WHITE, 32, a lanky Texan with easy-going charm. But Neil doesn’t engage. Instead, he heads to the end of the hall, finds a seat and opens a packet.

Neil glances atELLIOT SEE, 35, a flight test engineer from UCLA, older than the rest. And more cerebral. Neil nods.

Neil turns to his packet, but Elliot, anxious, keeps talking.

This draws a smile, maybe the first we’ve seen from Neil.A SMALL CONNECTION. Which for Neil is no little thing.

Neil looks up. Deke stands by the door at the end of the hall, a candidate slipping out behind him.Neil stands.

An empty chair in front of A PANEL OF MEN, including Bob Gilruth, 48, who’s voice we heard earlier.In person, Gilruth is tall, hawkish and as commanding as he sounded at the top.

Deke leads Neil in, introduces him.

If Neil’s impressed he doesn’t show it.He shakes hands with Gilruth;CHRIS KRAFT, 37, looks like a 50s ad rep; and JOHN GLENN, 40, clean cut, very much the American hero.Glenn smiles as Neil sits in front of the panel.

Yes, Neil was a Navy combat pilot.And if you’re surprised he didn’t mention that in the hall, you’re not paying attention.

Glenn warm, smiles; Neil doesn’t. Awkward. Gilruth jumps in.

An awkward pause.

A beat. The panel waits. Deke prompts Neil.

Is he serious? A beat, then Glenn LAUGHS.

The room follows suit, laughing hard, assuming Neil was joking. Of course, it’s not clear that he was.

Neil nods, impassive.

Off Gilruth, satisfied with Neil’s answer, weSMASH TO--

Neil, Jan and Rick eat supper. Deathly quiet, aPALLOR hangs.

Rick scurries off. Neil barely notices. A PAINFUL beat... it’s a relief when the phone RINGS.Janet gets up, answers.

Neil looks up. Janet holds out the phone. He takes it.

Neil hangs up. Processing. Then he sees Janet STARING.

He looks unsure. So does Janet, but she buries her qualms.

He looks out the window at the night sky,UNRESPONSIVE. Jan PULLSHIM to her, trying to bridge the divide. Out of habit, Neil wraps his arms around her, but his eyes remainLOCKEDon the sky. Off his focused gaze, we --

FADE IN:

GRAINY FOOTAGEof the Russian cosmonaut program. Two Vostok capsules blasting off, one after the next...

PULL BACKto find NEIL in the flickering light. He sits at a small desk, takingCOPIOUS NOTES as CIA AGENT JOHN WELSH narrates from beside the REEL-TO-REEL PROJECTOR.

Near Neil, Elliot See looksGRIM, but Neil remains analytical as Welsh finishes and Deke flips on a VU-GRAPH PROJECTOR.

Resolute, Deke puts a transparency on the overhead andDRAWS (yep, it’s 1962)two circles. He labels them (EARTH, MOON) thenSKETCHES a rocket flying from one to the other...

PUSH INon Neil as Deke draws a SMALL SHIP flying from the rocket to the surface,then returning to the original craft.

Deke writesRENDEZVOUS. DOCKING. Neil,INTENT, takes it down.

Gilruth flicks on the lights, revealing the nine Gemini men, including Ed White and Pete Conrad, who we met baiting Neil.

Now Ed and Pete look TENSE, as do the rest of the men. And like Neil and Elliot, they’ve all taken COPIOUS NOTES.

Ed and some of the other men smirk. Deke, Gilruth do NOT.

As he says this, we see something on Neil’s face we haven't seen before. TREPIDATION. We hear a crowdROAR and SMASH TO--

An 1,800 seat auditorium, filled to capacity.

Introduction of NASA Astronaut Group 2 September 17, 1962

REPORTERS and CAMERA CREWS from the three major networks, the major radio broadcasting systems, the wire services and dozens of domestic and international newspapers and magazines.

ON STAGE, Deke is with Gilruth, who introduces the astronauts. They walk out, all in blue suits save Conrad, in white linen.

The crowd applauds, dozens of flashbulbs POP.TIGHT ON Neil, a smile frozen on his face, eyes DARTING every which way.

NEIL’S POV.In BLURRED CUTS: flashbulbs;press; the crowd; astronauts waving;Rick and Janet (pregnant)... It’sDIZZYING.

Gilruth points and a man from the AP stands.

We go down the line, the men are RELAXED.QUICK, CUTTY --

ON THE AP GUY, scribbling. A beat, then he looks up.

WHIP TO NEIL, UNCOMFORTABLE as we’ve seen. Halting, STIFF --

The men glance over. Elliot CLOCKS Neil’s discomfort. Then --

As the crowd dissolves into laughter,FLASHBULBS TAKE US TO--

The Gemini nineSTARE OUT into the distance. Beside them, a GRANDSTAND of a few hundred people and THREE NETWORK CAMERAS.

We follow Ed’s gaze across two hundred yards of dirt to a small, orange scaffold holding up a THIN, RED-TIPPEDROCKET.

Mercury 8 Launch, Cape Canaveral October 3, 1962

At 90 feet tall, 5 feet in diameter, the rocket’s much smaller than the Saturn to come. And clearly much less sophisticated.

Hard to believe Wally even fits on top of that thing.

The men stare, SOBER, shaken by the fact that soon they’ll be atop a rocket like this. PAN SLOWLYover their ANXIOUS FACES.

Elliot See, Ed White... even Pete Conrad is nervous, fingers crossed on both hands...

As the countdown begins in earnest weFIND NEIL. In contrast to the others, Neil is TOTALLY CALM.

HOLD ONNeil as the rocket DROWNS OUT the call, his faceAGLOW with the flame of 200,000 pounds of thrust...

And as we hear the rocket lift, weHOLD ONNeil, on the EMOTION in his eyes... a childlike look ofWONDER.

CLOSE ONa CBS NEWS BROADCAST. WALTER CRONKITE (in large earphones) at his desk. We see a chyron:CRISIS IN CUBA.

PULL BACKto find JANET, PREGNANT, in a kitchen full of boxes. No longer unpacking. PALE, she stares at the B&W TV... when the doorbell RINGS. She walks into --

Also full of boxes. Rick plays on the floor. Neil, on the couch, marks up a thick binder labeled GEMINI.ENGROSSED, he doesn’t look up as Janet walks in and opens the door.

Ed White stands with his WIFEPAT, 30.

Pat holds out a Tupperware container of cookies.

Neil comes to the door with his binder.Ed’s uncomfortable; clearly this visit was Pat’s idea.

An awkward beat. Pat fills it.

Janet flushes, EMBARRASSED. And disappointed. But Pat doesn’t miss a beat.

She smiles at Janet. It almost sets Janet at ease.

Neil forces a smile back, then shuts the door.

Ed and Pat stand there.

As they turn and head back towards their house, weCUT TO--

CLOSE ONa familiar pair of blue eyes. Ticking to a pair of hands BUCKLING straps...PULLING them tight.

FINDNeil in a cockpit chair, suspended within THREE CONCENTRIC STEEL RINGS. Welcome to theMULTI-AXIS TRAINER.

The SUPE nods to the hand controllers on the chair.

Neil nods. The Supe starts the machine; the inner rings spin, tossing Neil in all directions. Slowly at first, then FASTER.

PUSH INon Neil. The chair speeds up, his head WHIPPING in and out of frame as he struggles to analyze the spin.

His HANDSGRAB the controls... they CLICK several times... but the machine just spins FASTER. Neil bores down... but it’s fast, TOO FAST... His eyes droop... and weFADE TO GRAY.

Neil blinks,OPENS HIS EYES. The supe moves to unbuckle him.

The Supe STARES. Then turns to Deke. Who shrugs. The other astronauts watch, curious, as the Supe tightens Neil's straps and starts the machine again. As it spins, wePUSH INTO --

NEIL’S POV. The room, spinning. And if it’s nauseating, well, that's how it's supposed to feel.

NeilCLICKS the controls and the trainer slows... only to SPIN FASTER. Shit. In BLURRED CUTS we see:the other ASTRONAUTS; FLASHBULBS;PRESS; a CROWD... and again weFADE TO GRAY.

NeilOPENS HIS EYES. Deke's bent over him.

Deke’s SURPRISED. Ed White and a few others look ANNOYED, but Deke responds to the look in Neil’s eyes.He nods to the Supe, who pulls Neil's straps tight and leans in,WHISPERING--

As Neil processes, the Supe steps back, starts up the machine.

NEIL’S POV. This time, as he spins, Neil CLOSES his eyes. THE SCREEN GOES DARK. But under the grating machine...

WE HEAR the PULSESLOSHING in Neil’s inner ear. Then the CLICKof the hand control. Again. And again... And as Neil opens his eyes, the machine SLOWS...

And thenSTOPS. Elliot GAPES as the Supe unstraps Neil. Neil tries to stand, wobbles and falls...VOMITINGall over.

Ed looks UNIMPRESSED.

Neil stands, bent over a sink. SHAKING.

A beat, then he steadies himself and tries to stand up... only to startDRY HEAVING. Again. And AGAIN. Spittle forming at the corners of his mouth.

Neil finally gets it under control.Pale, he spits in the sink and splashes water on his face when... Ed walks in.In the mirror, Neil sees Ed. Trying to look collected.

But as Ed stands there, he turns GREEN.A beat, then...

EdRUSHES INTO a stall. We hear himVOMITING off screen. Off Neil, unimpressed himself,CUT TO --

CLOSE ON ElliotUPSIDE DOWN in a suit and helmet. Sweating.

REVEALPete Conrad, also upside down, in the other seat of a Gemini trainer. Surprisingly serious.

Elliot puts on a brave face, NODS. Conrad PULLS a handle and the hatch doors under them SWING OPEN...WATER RUSHING IN.

As the men STRUGGLE to undo their harnesses, weCUT TO --

Neil and the astronauts stand at the edge of a pool with a few TECHS, watching as the submerged capsule SHAKES in the water.

The EGRESS SUPE eyes his stopwatch.No one emerges. CONCERN creeps across Neil's face... then Conrad surfaces, GASPING.

Conrad sees the look on Neil’s face, REALIZES.And DIVES for Elliot. Neil glances over at Deke, who doesn’t move.

Neil STARES at the water. He can’t see what’s happening. His eyesTICK from the rescue techs, to the Egress Supe, to Deke, back to the water again. He scans it, his handCLENCHING.

At last, Deke nods to the rescue techs, who dive... just as ConradEMERGES with Elliot, SPUTTERING. Neil and others reach down to pull him out of the pool as Deke jots down a NOTE.

Neil hovers for a moment over Elliot.

SMASH TO --

CLOSE ON NEILin a low-tech capsule. STRAINING, his features STRETCHED WIDE by the g forces. HOLDTIGHT on him, STRUGGLING to breathe, trying to muscle it out. SMASH TO --

Neil VOMITS beside the capsule, which is at the business end of aMASSIVE CENTRIFUGE. PALE, Neil looks up as the next victim approaches... it’s Elliot.

Elliot clocks how wrecked Neil is. And BLANCHES. SMASH TO --

Neil, EXHAUSTED, collapses into a desk.As the other Gemini men sit, Neil opens theTHICK BINDERin front of him.

Physics of Rocket Propulsion - Rocket Vehicle Performance

1. Equations defining stage performance

2. Theoretical optimization of stages 3. Practical techniques using digital computers 4.Trajectory losses (drag, gravity, potential energy velocity)

A man in a suit (HAMMOCK) walks in, turns on the vu-graph.

Neil flips through the chapter. It's 75 pages. Jesus.

CLOSE ONa wall clock. 10pm. A lone janitor mops the hall. It’s QUIET... then the classroom doorOPENS. Neil and the others stumble out, totally spent.They start to exit when...

Neil and the others turn. Deke and Kraft stand behind them. The men are suddenly WIDE AWAKE.

You could hear a pin drop.

A beat. Then the men GRAB their packs andRUSH INTO --

Pete leads the way, Ed and the others at his heels, crowding like high school kids around the LIST posted by Deke’s door.

Ed inches forward. Smiles broadly. We see the list...

Mission Prime Backup GT-3 Grissom-YoungSchirra-Stafford GT-4 McDivitt-WhiteBorman-Lovell GT-5 Cooper-Conrad Armstrong-See

PETE CONRAD

Shit, I’m flying with Gordo? JIM LOVELL

Punishment fits the crime...

The men laugh as Neil walks out. Elliot turns to him.

Unfazed, Neil exits with Elliot, not bothering to check the list. Ed clocks this, puzzled... not getting Neil at all.

Neil’s at the dinner table. It's late, he eats alone, but Janet sits with him, the new baby (MARK) asleep in her arms.

It’s not oppressive, like after Karen died, but Neil’s distant. Maybe he is upset about the backup assignment?

Janet reacts. Trying not to laugh.

Neil smiles. Then chuckles, RELAXING. A nice, shared moment... atypical these days. Off Janet, ENJOYING it --

Neil stands in boxers and a T-shirt, BRUSHING his teeth. Perfect little circles on each tooth.His mind elsewhere.

Janet, in a nightgown, slips up behind him.Her hand reaches around his stomach... then DOWN into his boxers.

At first, Neil doesn’t notice. Then his mind and brushSLOW. His eyesTICK to Janet in the mirror. CONSIDERING. Janet looks up at him. Insistent.

A beat, then Neil turns, kissing her.As he pulls at her blouse, weCUT TO --

Dark. Quiet. The windows open, a breeze plays on the drapes, moving over Janet and Neil, NAKED on the bed.We hear a CRACKLINGin the b/g... and Janet stirs. She sits up, sleepy.

Her expressionCLOUDS. She nudges Neil, softly. Then HARDER.

Neil sits up, groggy. Half awake, still processing, he gets out of bed, tosses on his boxers and heads down the hall.

Janet waits. A beat, then SMOKE CURLS INthrough the doorway. Janet's eyesWIDEN as she hears Neil from the hall.

Janet, stunned, reaches for the phone as wePUSH INTO--

Neil runs down theHALLWAY, the roof IN FLAMES. Neil coughs, pushes through the smoke, pausing at the door to...

RICK’S ROOM. Rick sits up in bed. Disoriented.

Rick nods and Neil moves on down the hall,HUSTLING INTO--

THE NURSERY. FILLED with smoke, the baby CRYING in the crib. Neil grabs the baby, covers him in a blanket andRUNSOUT, hurrying down theHALL into...

THE FAMILY ROOM. All smoke and fire, we can’t even see Neil. We hear him COUGH, STRUGGLING to breathe...

...then find him as he PUSHES THROUGHthe back door into --

Neil holds the baby,GASPING for breath, eyesTICKING...

...toED WHITE, rushing across his yard to help...

...to theTERRIFYING BLAZE already engulfing most of the roof.

...toJANET, standing there, staring. Lost. And ALONE.

Neil PROCESSES, rushing to Janet and handing her the baby.

Neil’s already on it, already turning back towards the house when... A SECTION OF THE ROOF COLLAPSES.

Janet turns WHITE. Neil quickly grabs a wet towel off the clothes line, covers his face and RUNS BACK INTO--

The walls ofTHE FAMILY ROOM now GLOWING RED. Glass windows CRACK, the smoke forcing Neil onto hands and knees.

HOLD ON Neil as he CRAWLS, groping his way intoTHE HALL, the towel tight on his face, walls IN FLAMES around him.We feel the heat as Neil INCHESalong, eyesFIXED on a FARAWAY DOOR...

PUSH INon Neil as the roar of the fireFADES and we hear the FAMILIAR UNNERVING WHINEof Karen’s Cobalt Machine...

Neil blocks it out, reaching the door and pushing it open...

Neil peers into RICK’S ROOM. Smoke and fire everywhere. Neil's eyesTICK across the room, scanning for Rick.

PUSH INon his eyes, on something we haven't seen...FEAR. The ODD WHINE SCREAMS above the din and Neil FREEZES,the thought of yet another loss creeping in...

...until another SOUND pierces through.

Faint at first, then LOUDER. A child’s whimper. Neil’s eyes DART to... Rick, TERRIFIED, hiding under his bed. Neil LUNGES forward, scoops Rick up, wrapping him in the towel...

...as the fire seems to EBB. Neil confused, turns. And spots ED, through the window, hosing down the roof.

The fire ROARS. Neil snaps to, RUSHES throughTHE HALL into THE FAMILY ROOM. ENGULFED AGAIN by smoke, heFALTERS... then holds Rick for dear life andCHARGESthrough the door into --

Neil carries Rick out, pulls off the towel and looks at him.

It’s stark. ANGRY. Rick starts toCRY... as Janet rushes over, RELIEVED. She takes Rick and Neil moves towards the VOLUNTEER FIREMEN pouring out of the small FIRE TRUCK...

...but Neil starts toWHEEZE. He has to pause, bending over, STRUGGLING to catch his breath just as...

THE REST OF THE ROOFCOLLAPSES. Ed and the firemen are forced back. Janet reacts, EYES WIDE... but Neil just stares at the blaze, at what's left of the house.EMOTIONLESS.

Janet reaches for Neil, but he’s already moving towards Ed...

Ed follows Neil to the garage... leaving Janet with the kids. Alone. Watching her house burn to the ground. DISSOLVE TO --

A birds-eye view of the house... now wet, black RUBBLE and DYING EMBERS, smoke still reaching skyward.

Neil picks through the wreckage as wePULL BACKinto --

By the window, Janet holds the baby and a CHARRED WEDDING ALBUM. She looks down at a half destroyed PHOTO, Neil in a tuxedo. BEAMING. Lighter than we’ve ever seen him.

Janet glances out the window, at what’s left of her house, at a very different Neil picking through the rubble.

She FIGHTS to contain her emotions.

Janet pulls herself together, closing the album and turning to Pat, who’s walked in with sheets and towels.

Janet smiles, appreciative as a doorbell RINGS.CUT TO --

Ed opens the door, finds Elliot and his wifeMARILYN SEE, 30s. Marilyn holds a brisket; Elliot, his baby son and a bag. Elliot and Ed aren’t that friendly; it’s a bitAWKWARD.

ELLIOT SEE

We heard Neil and Janet were-- JANET

Marilyn, Elliot?

Pat and Janet walk in. Marilyn holds out the brisket.

He holds out a bag of Barbie dolls.Janet laughs, touched.

Off Ed, CONFUSED, CUT TO --

Neil in the rubble with a FIRE INSPECTOR, 50s, nonchalant.

The inspector starts to go, but Neil doesn’t move.

But Neil takes out a logbook and kneels, SCANNING the rubble. The inspector STARES and we...

PULL BACK to find Ed and Elliot at the edge of the yard.

ELLIOT SEE

Uh, he’s trying to -- ` ED

I know what he’s doing.

Ed shakes his head. A beat, then he has an idea.

They head off and we TIME CUT TO --

Sunset. Wide on the house. Against the setting sun, the SILHOUETTEof a man... Neil inspecting the rubble. TIRELESS. A beat, then we see Neil bend down...

ANGLE ONa BLACKENED BRACELET amidst ruined keepsakes in the rubble. Neil wipes it off. K A R... the rest unreadable.

CLOSE ONNeil’s eyes -- a HINT of emotion. Then he stands. MOVING ON. Inching over the collapsed roof, looking for something else. And then bending down again...

The exhausted inspector walks over, wiping his forehead.

The inspector, EXASPERATED, stares as Neil digs into the roof.

Ed’s in the yard with Elliot, holding the bag.He waves Neil over. A beat, then Neil joins them. Ed holds out the bag.

Neil, confused, takes the bag. He opens it, pulls out a brand new ‘IONIZATION CHAMBER SMOKE DETECTOR.’

A beat. Neil looks up at Ed, SURPRISED. And GRATEFUL.

The three couples sit eating, kids playing in the family room. Janet’s had a few glasses of wine.

She smiles at Neil. He nods, awkward.

Neil blinks, SURPRISED. Elliot laughs.

MARILYN JANET

Really? What?

This is starting to get uncomfortable.

ED

Honey -- PAT

Don’t honeyme.

They turn to Neil, surprised.

A beat. It’s not particularly funny, but from Neil it’s surprising. And hilarious. The table bursts out laughing.

WIDEON the yard. The house cozy, the windows casting warm light, the yard dotted with fireflies.And then over the crickets, we hear faint STATIC. And chatter... inRUSSIAN.

PAN UPto the stars above. HOLD ON them as the Comms continue. Chilling, spooky. And as we wonder what it means,PRELAP --

CLOSE ONRick crouching by the porch with a walkie talkie.

Nearby, Neil watches Rick, CALM. Elliot holds up aSEXTANT.

Neil nods, takes Elliot’s sextant.Surveys the two stars.

Neil nods, takes a reading. Ed walks outside with beers. He sees Neil with the sextant and SHOOTS a look at Elliot.

Neil ignores him, keeps at it. Elliot looks over at Ed.

Ed looks at Neil. Then chuckles, good-natured. Elliot does too. And Neil smiles, a bit surprised at theBOND FORMING.

Pat and Jan do dishes; Ed, Neil and Elliot in the window. Marilyn sits on the couch in the b/g with her youngest.

A phoneRINGS. Pat goes to get it, but weHOLD ON Jan, watching Neil with the others.

Ed hustles in. Neil follows behind, notices Janet’s stare. As Ed picks up the phone, Neil drifts over to her.

She’s warm. Neil smiles, a bit mystified.

Neil turns. Ed’s flipped on the TV. Neil’s smile FADES as he sees B&W FOOTAGE ofA COSMONAUT FLOATING OVER EARTH.

Neil tightens. The camera ominouslyPUSHES IN on the TV...

BANG! Ed SLAMS his fist against the wall in frustration.

A beat, then Ed grabs his bag. Neil shoots him a look.

Ed heads out the door but we HOLD ONNeil, PUSHING IN ON HIM as the RUSSIAN COMMS on TV getLOUDERand we --

OVER BLACKwe hear the sound of U.S. COMMS --

ANOTHER SCREEN. B&w footage. An ASTRONAUT floats in space.

REVERSEto Neil and Elliot, watching RAPT, as we realize the floating astronaut is Ed.

Gemini IV, Mission Day 1 June 3, 1965

Welcome to MISSION CONTROL, the latest, greatest tech of1965. PUSH BUTTONS, ROTARY PHONES. Monitors of NUMBERS, STATIC MAPS on the big screens, a scrolling STYLUS tracking the capsule.

Neil SMILES at Elliot as Deke enters with a group of men.

As Deke heads off, Elliot notices a NEWBIE holding court.

Neil glances over atBUZZ ALDRIN, 33. Smart, arrogant, TONE DEAF; he clearly annoys the others.And the flight director.

The room quiets. Kraft nods to CAPCOMGUS GRISSOM, 39, gruff.

head, I’m looking down on...

My golly, I’m looking right in the bay there!

Ed and Jim clearly don’t hear Gus.

Ed, I’m gonna PUSH-TO-TALK, see what the Flight Director has to say.Gus, any message?

45 seconds to Loss of Signal.

Kraft glances at EECOM. Neil catches it, notes hisCONCERN.

JIM (COMMS)

They want you back now, Ed. ED (COMMS)

I’m trying to get a picture of the spacecraft.

JIM (COMMS)

No, back in. Come on. ED (COMMS)

...Saddest moment of my life.

The video feed BREAKS UP. A long, silent beat.

getting into the space craft.

EECOM ENGINEER FLIGHT SURGEON 10 seconds -- Pilot’s heart rate is

spiking. He’s up to 180 bps.

Shit. Neil watches INTENT. The whole room looks concerned.

you don't have something for us, wait a couple --

The audio turns to STATIC.

Switch to UHF.

The EECOM engineer hits a switch; the static turns toSILENCE.

CLOSE ON Neil and Elliot as they wait, theTENSION PALPABLE. All the newbies, even Buzz, STARE. The silence isDEAFENING.

PUSH INon Neil, eyes TICKING from screen to console. A beat.

GRISSOM ED (COMMS)

Gemini 4, do you -- ...that was something. That

was the most natural feeling.

Neil RELAXES. We hear more voices over comms.

Hello Carnavon. We are back inside the spacecraft. We are repressurized to 5 PSI...

As the room lets out a collective breath,CUT TO--

It’s late. Gus, exhausted, sits listening to Ed.

PAN TONeil, standing beside Gus. Listening, RAPT.

Gus slips away. The flight surgeon approaches with a NOTE.

NEIL

Yes. He’d like you to go ED (COMMS) four hours -- Have you seen Pat? Did she

and the kids hear the EVA?

Neil smiles,DISTRACTED from the task at hand. He almost seems bemused by Ed’s warmth towards him, by the STRENGTH of their connection... Neil seems asHUMANas we’ve ever seen.

A NICE MOMENT.. ‘til Neil sees the doc GLARING.

Off Neil --

Wide on a LARGE WINDOWLESS STRUCTURE, lit up against the night. A sign, block letters: Mission Control Center.

FIND Neil. Heading across the parking lot, lost in thought. But as he reaches the car... he PAUSES. And looks up...

A sky of stars. We know Ed’s up there, in orbit, but it’s not warmth or wonder in Neil’s eyes. It’s something else...

...YEARNING.

A beautiful morning. GEMINI-TITAN Vsteaming on the pad.

NEIL (COMMS)

Push-To-Talk Comm check. KSC CAPCOM (COMMS) Commander push-to-talk -- Yes, we read you, Neil.

We’re at T minus 2 hours.

PUSH IN CLOSERto the white room level, just outside the capsule. Men in flight suits prep for launch.

Gemini V, Pre-Launch August 21, 1965

Holy shit, are Neil and Elliot about to head into space?

Just as we think they are, wePUSH INTOthe capsule... to find the two of them not in spacesuits, but in routine FLIGHT GEAR.

Read you loud and clear.

Elliot looks up, sees GORDO COOPER, 38, brusque, and Pete Conrad. In SPACESUITS.

Neil and Elliot (the backups) step out, awkwardly helping Cooper and Conrad into the small capsule.As Neil buckles in Pete, he eyes the Gemini 5 Patch on his arm.8 DAYS OR BUST.

Neil, Elliot ride down the side of the Titan rocket.And yes, it’s more substantial than the Mercury Atlas, but at 100 feet, it still feels puny compared to the Apollo we all know.

Elliot SMILES. Then Neil does. Clearly, they’re even closer. The elevator stops and Neil and Elliot walk out onto --

THE LAUNCH PAD. They move to confer with Deke and a few engineers, Elliot shouting over the steaming rocket...

As Elliot continues, Deke pulls Neil aside.He nods at the Gemini capsule just ten stories up...

Neil pauses, looks back at Elliot.

Off Neil, processing this, weCUT TO--

DAVE SCOTT, 35, very good looking and very enthusiastic.

FINDNeil sitting beside Dave as a MECHANICAL ARMslowly pulls their Gemini trainer away from a mock Agena docking satellite.

Neil remains focused on a Gemini instrument chart, reaching for instruments without looking up, going over their position.

Dave, surprised, eyes Neil, who keeps studying the Gemini instruments... the slightest hint of ANNOYANCE on his face.

Neil doesn’t respond. Dave, now annoyed himself, opens his manual. For a moment, they work in silence. And off Neil, perhaps wishing it were Elliot beside him,PRELAP--

Elliot sits in front, managing the T-38 descent for landing. Some light turbulence, clouds all around.ZERO VISIBILITY.

As Elliot guides the plane down, he chats with his co-pilot in the rear cockpit, CHARLIE BASSETT, 34, all American.

Elliot doesn’t say anything. The slightest hint ofENVY.

Bassett LAUGHS as they drop through 500 feet, breaking through clouds. Elliot visually clocks his position...

...and instantly sees HE’S SHORT.

He hits the afterburners, pulls the stick to make a low turn.

We hear the ANXIETY in Bassett's voice as Elliot sees...THE PLANE IS ROCKETING TOWARDS A TALL NASA BUILDING!!!OH SHIT!!!

Dammit... Dammit...

Elliot YANKS up on the stick, but it’s not enough. As they SPEED towards the building ELLIOT'S EYES WIDENand we...

SMASH TO --

NEIL. Quiet. Studying rendezvous and docking calculations in a notebook, his dinner off to one side.

REVEAL Janet, Rick and Mark(now 8 and 4)also at the table, eating dinner. It's raining hard out, real Texas thunder.

JANET

Honey, let your father eat NEIL his -- Excited about what?

Neil looks at Rick. Janet watches, surprised.

Neil returns to his notebook, oblivious to WIDE-EYED Mark.

Before Jan can say more we hear aKNOCK... Neil doesn’t even notice. Janet, used to this, gets up, walks to door...

...and opens it. Ed’s on the porch. SOAKED from the rain.

Janet sees something in his eyes. Knows better than to ask.

Neil walks out onto the porch.

Neil stops. Sees it’s something else.

Neil takes this in. Knowing from the look on Ed’s face that neither Elliot nor Charlie made it.

The two of them stand there inAWFUL SILENCE. Nothing to say.

Neil walks back in. Sits down at the table.

Neil looks over at Rick. Lost.

Neil trails off, clearly elsewhere.Janet intercedes.

Rick nods, heads off to his room. Janet glances over at Mark, playing with his peas, then quietly leans over to Neil.

Janet pales. CUT TO --

Gray, rainy. SIX BLACK HORSES pull a caisson bearing aFLAG DRAPED COFFINinto Section 4 of the famous cemetery, TWO NAVAL PLATOONS and a COLOR GUARD alongside.

The horses stop. The Navy men lift the coffin and carry it past a 9-YEAR-OLD GIRL. In tears. The girl, Elliot’s daughter, stands with Marilyn and Elliot’s other children...

...but weHOLD ON her as she watches the casket pass andSOBS, burying her face in ED’S OVERCOAT.Ed puts an arm around her, fighting it himself, holding on to Pat and looking over at...

Janet and Neil. Who’s BLANK. His face devoid of emotion, his features FROZEN... save forHIS EYES. DARTING from the coffin... to theCRANK by the grave... to Elliot's daughter.

And for a moment, she looks just like Neil’s daughter Karen. PUSH IN on Neil’s eyes and MATCH CUT TO--

Neil, staring down at aSEXTANT. He turns it in his hands.

PULL BACKto a circle of astronauts nearby. Conrad, Lovell, Scott and others pass a bottle of vodka, a lime inside.

Conrad glances at Buzz Aldrin. Even he’s taken aback.

The men go quiet. Buzz may be right, but it’s not the time. Uneasy, they look away... save for Neil.Who STARES at Buzz.

Neil does. But he just turns, walks into --

Neil, tense, moves through the gathered mourners, eyes darting, SEARCHING for Janet. We CUT INTO NEIL’S POV --

...eyes ticking pastWIVES raising hands in greeting...

...pastED waving, calling to Neil from across the room...

...pausing onELLIOT’S PHOTO on the mantle...

Neil KEEPS GOING until he spots Janet.He moves SWIFTLY into--

Janet lays cookies out on a tray. Neil rolls up beside her.

She keeps plating cookies... until she realizes Neil’s gone.

She turns. We hear the car start before we see it. Neil pulling away and driving off. Off Janet --

Close on Janet. In the backseat. Upset and embarrassed.

Ed drives. Pat beside him. A beat.

Janet stares out the window. Off Ed, processing, we --

Neil stands under the stars, taking readings with the sextant. Practicing. Jotting notes down in a logbook beside him.

Ed walks up. Neil just keeps taking readings. A beat.

Neil glances over. Something not sitting well.

Ed’s surprised. Neil’s DARK, more emotional than we’ve seen.

Neil contains himself, turns away.Starts taking readings.

ED

Neil. Hey, we’re all broken up here, I didn’t mean to -- NEIL

I need to practice.

He’s COLD. Ed reacts. Then walks off. As he goes, we see...

Janet. In the window, a tired look in her eyes. She watches as Neil takes another reading. He seems unmoved. Exhausted, Janet turns away, and we RACK FOCUSback to...

Neil. SHAKING. As RATTLED as we’ve seen. He lowers the sextant... and stares down at the small label.“E. SEE.”

Neil walks up the stairs. He turns off the light and starts to head into the bedroom... when he HESITATES.

He walks to the door across the hall, looks in at Rick and Mark in their beds, sleeping soundly.As he stands there, we PUSH INon his eyes. Filled with TEARS.

CLOSE ONa familiar Westclox electric alarm clock. The time flips to 6:00 AM and the alarmTRILLS.

Janet stirs, rolls over. The bed is EMPTY.

Janet, groggy, walks in, then STOPS.SURPRISED to see...

Neil, with Rick and Mark at the kitchen table, huddled over a PAPER EARTH... pushing a PAPER GEMINI towards a PAPER AGENA.

Neil nods. Then notices Janet in the door. Watching them.

Janet, AFFECTED, swallows her emotions and starts breakfast. PRELAPthe sound of a THUNDERING ROCKETand SMASH TO --

UPSIDE DOWN through a cockpit window we see a rocketRUMBLING SKYWARD. As the cabin SHAKES...

REVERSE TONeil and Dave suited up, prepping for launch and getting strapped in by backups Pete Conrad and Richard Gordon.

Gemini VIII, Pre-Launch March 16, 1966, 10:00:30

Hold still, wouldja?

Neil looks over, sees Pete is STRUGGLING to buckle Dave’s parachute harness; one of its catches is clogged.

RICHARD GORDON PETE CONRAD What is that? Glue? (calls outside)

Guenter, you got a Swiss Army Knife?

Pad leaderGUENTER WENDT (42, spectacles, bow tie) leans in.

He holds out a TOOTHPICK. Dave watches Pete dig in, AGITATED.

CLOSE ONJanet. Staring into a HALL MIRROR. Sweating.

Dave’s parachute.

Janet reacts. A beat, then she wipes her eyes, STEELS herself with a last look and walks into --

LURTON SCOTT hovers by a NASA SQUAWKBOX, the kids in the b/g.

Hardly reassuring. Lurton tries to keep it together as LIFE MAGAZINE PHOTOGRAPHERRALPH MORSE approaches with a camera.

It’s the last thing they want to do, but it’s part of the job. They nod and pose, forcing smiles.As Morse takes photos --

RALPH MORSE FIDO (COMMS)

Big day, big smiles. The Agena is looking good,

orbit is 162 by 156.

The capsule is now SEALED and CLAUSTROPHOBIC.We’re CONFINED with Neil and Dave, the tiny window providing little relief.

FIDO (COMMS)

T minus 2 minutes. KSC CAPCOM (COMMS)

Engines to start, Neil.

Ground power removed.

Final pre-flight.

They slide their visors closed. Dave eyes the clock, TENSE. And no,we’re not cutting away. We’re gonnaHOLD ON NEIL AND DAVESTRAIGHT THROUGH THE LAUNCH IN REAL TIME...

Go.

I’m go.

Armstrong’s at 146 bpm.

I’m good.

FIDO (COMMS)

Colonel, even a 30 second hold will jeopardize our KSC LAUNCH DIRECTOR (COMMS) ability to rendezvous -- I understand. Doc?

Dave glances at Neil. Is it nerves? PUSH IN on Neil’s eyes.

He’s within tolerable limits.

RELIEVED, Neil and Dave spring back into action...

Starting Gimbal.

Roger. Stowing checklist.

Dave stows the checklist, then he and Neil SET for launch as we feel the weight of the last few minutes, months, years...

ADULL THUNDER from ten stories below...

...turns to aROAR. Neil and Dave feel aJOLT as the anchor bolts SHEAR OFF and the TitanJERKSthem off the launch pad.

TheTHRUST kicks in, 7G’s SHOVING them into their seats. Neil STRAINS, reaching forward to punch in roll and pitch programs.

Got a Roll Program in. The roll is on. We have a Pitch program...

Oddly, it’s CALMER then we’d imagine, the blue sky out the window easily sliding to black... but the STRAIN on Neil’s face tells uswe’re accelerating to 18,000 MILES PER HOUR.

ASHEET OF FIRE washes over the craft...100,000 POUNDS OF FLAMING THRUSTRIPPING THE TWO STAGES APART!!

IT'S FUCKING TERRIFYING. Dave FLINCHES... even Neil BLINKS. We wonder what the hell is going on andSMASH TO--

From afar, it looks like the rocket isEXPLODING...

NEIL (COMMS)

We’re having Wally’s fireball DAVE SCOTT (COMMS) here. ...uh, yeah.

We see the first stage fall away. The second stageLIGHTS... thenROCKETS forward and we realize...Jesus, this is normal.

SMASH BACK INTO --

DaveREELS as Neil calmly refocuses on the gauges. A beat.

Burn stop.

Neil flicks off the engines and the men areJOLTED FORWARD, tossed intoMICROGRAVITY. Dave lets out a GRUNT... as a mission checklists FLOATS across the cabin.

Engines off, it’s eerily QUIET. Dave takes a breath, glances out the window. The world’s UPSIDE DOWN, sky at his feet, horizon ABOVE his head. STRUCK, he nudges Neil...

Neil looks up. It’s the view from the X-15, but FOUR TIMES HIGHER. PUSH IN on Neil’s eyes, a surprisingSENSE OF WONDER.

CLOSE ONa hand PINNING a PAPER GEMINI onto a RUDIMENTARY ORBITAL MAP. A PAPER AGENA is already tacked on the map.

The room is BUZZING. Kraft and Flight DirectorJOHN HODGE, 37, British, gray, stand over a gaggle of MPAD ENGINEERS.

CLOSE ONa DIAGRAM of the two ships in orbit... SLIDE RULES... CALCULATORS... PENCILS doing complex math...

One of the engineersQUICKLY SCRIBBLESon a transparency and RUNSit through a door under the BIG SCREEN up front, into...

THE PROJECTION ROOM. A DOZEN VU-GRAPHS behind the screens. Clearly another era. Our engineer throws the slide up on a Vu- Graph; it's BOUNCED off a mirror and --

IN MISSION CONTROLthe hand drawn transparency APPEARS on the big screen. Hodge nods to Jim Lovell at the CapCom Console.

Helmets, checklists, and mission rule booksFLOATabout the cabin. Neil and Dave, helmets off, look OVERWHELMED.

Dave turns to look, accidentallyCLOCKSNeil in the head.

DAVE SCOTT LOVELL (COMMS)

Shit, sorry. Let me know when you’re

ready, 8.

Neil spots the book, hands it to Dave.

CLOSE ONhands setting the YAW DIAL to 90 right; PITCH at 0; THRUSTERS on. Neil’s eyes TICK to the clock. 2:45:28, 29...

NEIL

Give me the call. DAVE SCOTT

10... 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, Now!

Neil hits the thrusters. POP POP POP!! The craft RUSHES TO THE RIGHT. The mission plan SMACKS against the wall.

NEIL DAVE SCOTT

Time check. ...Dave? (disoriented)

20 seconds... 25... 30, 31, 32, 33, 34... cut off.

Neil lets go of the thrusters. It's QUIET; the mission plan FLOATS off the wall. Neil’s eyes TICKover the instruments.

He GRABS a calculator. As he works the numbers,SMASH TO --

Hodge and Kraft stand over two MPAD engineers working numbers.

The engineers are clearly at odds.Kraft steps in.

One engineer takes charge, writes up a transparency,DASHES into the projection room... and it APPEARS on the big screen.

Neil writes, but the penSLIPS OUT of his hand and FLOATS OFF.

Neil and Dave RUSH to set the burn; we goCLOSE ONthe dials: YAW to 0; PITCH to 0; ROLL to 0. THRUSTERS on.

Neil quickly gets into position and squeezes the thruster. CRACK CRACK!! The craft LURCHES again, now to the left.

Dave looks into the sextant.

Neil grabs a slide rule, does the math.Dave, TENSE, looks out the window.

Neil ignores him, keeps doing the math as weCUT TO--

Janet,TENSE, by the squawkbox. She glances over at the kids, pushing Neil’s PAPER GEMINI towards the PAPER AGENA...

No answer; it’s unnerving. Janet fidgets... then hears the door. She turns to find Ed and Pat. With another casserole.

She makes a face at Morse. Janet laughs, then looks to Ed.

A nice thaw... until Mr. Morse snaps a PHOTO.Pat turns.

Ed glances out the window at theARMY OF PRESSon the lawn.

ED

I’m guessing the Cosmonauts LOVELL (ON SQUAWKBOX) have it easier on this front. 8, do you have visual on the

Agena? 8, do you read?

As they turn back to the squawk box,SMASH TO --

Neil and Dave stare at calculators; something’s not right.

DAVE SCOTT

You want me to... I get a NEIL horrendous 25 feet per -- I can’t talk to you, I’ve got

to figure this.

Dave QUIETS as Neil works the numbers.

No, I’ve got too much to do.

...okay. 25 forward, 8 left, 3 up. On my mark.

Dave quickly adjusts the dials. Neil eyesTICK to the clock.

Neil HITS the thrusters. POP, POP! The craft SWINGS left and Neil lets go. Dave eyes the instruments, jots down residuals.

DAVE SCOTT

Did you burn at 26:10? NEIL

That - that’s right. It was about 30, negative 34...

...but Neil goes quiet as he spots what looks like aBRIGHT STARin the window. Dave follows his gaze.

But Dave grabs a sextant, takes a reading... andSMILES.

got a visual on the Agena.

...just as he says it, the Agena SWINGSout of the window.

DAVE SCOTT

Ah, shit... NEIL

I need a readout.

The instruments OSCILLATE, two DIFFERENT headings. Fuck.

NeilHITS the thrusters again. POP POP... the Gemini gives chase... and the Agena SWINGS into the window.

Dave SQUINTS,BLINDED by the sun, appearing over the horizon. He shields his eyes, turns up the instrument panel lights.

NEIL

I need range and rate. DAVE SCOTT

6,000 feet, 31 feet per second, going too fast!

Neil SQUINTS at the Agena growing in the window... and HITS the braking thrusters. POP! POP! POP!Steam SHOOTS OUT in front of us, slowing the Gemini...

THE AGENA SWINGS UP OUT OF THE WINDOW AGAIN!Fuck! Neil hits the braking thrusters again,FIGHTINGto slow down...

DAVE SCOTT

l0 feet per second. 1,900 NEIL feet... Put in a little to the left.

Dave adjusts the dial. The Agena SWINGSin the window, LIT UP LIKE A CHRISTMAS TREE IN THE DAYLIGHT.HOVERING in full view.

Neil looks up. Again a touch of thatCHILDLIKE WONDER.

A lot of tight faces. Tense. Waiting for...

A few scattered CHEERS go up. Hodge, standing at his console, wipes his brow as Deke walks over.

DEKE

You okay, John? HODGE

I’m... yes. I’m fine.

But he looks TENSE, nervous for this last step as weCUT TO--

WIDE ONthe Gemini, 150 feet from the Agena. We’re FAR AWAY, the floating craftsDWARFED by the earth below. It’s SILENT until... STEAMSHOOTS from the Gemini thrusters.

As the Gemini slowly circles the Agena, weCUT INTO--

Neil flies the Gemini, aLIGHTNESS to him. The grit of training, the darkness of Elliot's death allFALL AWAY.

Dave SMILES at Neil's atypical enthusiasm as he moves the Gemini ever closer to the Agena...

HOLD ON Neil and Dave, waiting on the precipice.

Neil nods to Dave, who hits a switch. We hear a BUZZ, see a CONE EXTEND through the docking window.

8, we’re showing cone rigid.

Neil squeezes the throttle GENTLY, moving forward slowly... until the Gemini and the Agena CRUNCHtogether. It's JARRING.

Neil nods to Dave. Moment of truth. Dave hits a switch. We hear the motor aboard the Agena WHIR and wePUSH OUTSIDE...

From afar, we see the AgenaCLASP onto the Gemini, which mechanicallyPULLS IT IN...

There’s a loudCLANK as it stops and weSMASH BACK INTO --

In the cockpit, the Agena docking buttonLIGHTS UP, displaying a green “RIGID” confirmation. Neil and Dave share aLOOK.

The whole room waits. Hodge, Kraft, Deke on pins and needles.

DekeSMILES BROADLY as the room explodes withCHEERS. Kraft shakes Hodge’s hand. Deke calls out...

More CHEERS, laughter as the comms BUZZ.Neil, methodical...

AFLASHBULB pops. Morse takes a photo of Janet and Rick, his paper Gemini and Agena now GLUED TOGETHER over earth.

Ed walks up with a PLATE OF FOOD for Janet.She hesitates.

A beat. Then, as she takes the plate...

Dave grabs a pen, takes notes as Lovell continues.

But the Comms turnSTATIC as they lose signal. Dave drops his pen, sees Neil’s pulled out two PACKETS.DAY 1, MEAL B.

It’s an order. Neil holds a packet up to a nozzle on the side console, injects it with water. It looks pretty bad.

Neil tosses it to Dave, who spins it around, then leaves it.

Dave grabs the EVA manual, glances at the console... PAUSING.

Neil turns. CLOSE ON the 8 ball, showing a 30 degree roll.

DAVE SCOTT

None of our thrusters are on, NEIL it must be the -- Cut the Agena’s thrusters.

Dave quickly follows orders. Neil WATCHES the 8 ball...

Neil hits the Gemini's thrusters, but the shipLURCHES, starts SPINNING. Dave GRUNTS. Neil’s eyesTICK to the console.

They shut everything off, but the shipKEEPS SPINNING ON ALL 3 AXIS. Food, checklists, charts startFLYING about the CABIN.

NEIL

I need a thruster readout. DAVE SCOTT

We’re quiet but I read the Agena firing.

PUSH INon Neil, working the problem, eyesTICKING...

...to the8 BALL showing a HUGE BANK...

...to theGAUGES showing VIOLENT SPIN RATES...

...toDAVE STRUGGLING with the disparate G forces...

Dave looks at Neil,UNSURE.

DAVE SCOTT NEIL

I can’t map the trajectories, (cuts him off) we could smash into -- Reset the Agena to allow

remote command.

Dave follows orders. Neil GRABS the throttle.

Dave FLIPS a switch; THE GREEN DOCKING LIGHTBLINKS OUT. Neil FIRESthe thrusters and the Gemini JERKSaway...

The Agena SPINS VIOLENTLY outside the window, Dave BLANCHING as itNARROWLY MISSES the nose of the Gemini...

Neil hits the throttle... but the shipSPINS FASTER, whipping everything WILDLY around the cabin!Neil, SURPRISED, lets go of the throttle, eyesTICKING to the console when...

THWACK! A flight plan SMACKS him in the head!

NeilSTRAINS against the ROCKETING G FORCES, NAUSEATING and DEADLY... his eyesTICKING to the roll rate gauge at300°/SEC.

CALM SEAS through the window. A few men helm theU.S.A.F. SHIP asJIM FUCCI, 42, mans a state of the art TRACKING CONSOLE.

FUCCI (COMMS)

Gemini 8, CSQ. How do you -- DAVE SCOTT (COMMS)

We have serious problems!

FucciFREEZES, stares at his instrument panel.

Off Fucci, PALE,SMASH TO --

Kraft, Deke, Hodge gather round Lovell, listening intently.

FUCCI (COMMS) NEIL (COMMS)

...uh, what seems to be the (beat) problem? ..rolling.. can’t turn off...

Agena and is in a pretty violent tumble.

Off the men, REACTING, weSMASH TO --

Janet, WHITE, kneels by the squawk box, leaning in to hear, Morse SNAPS a photo. Ed shoots him a look and he slinks back.

The boxCUTS OUT. No static, just SILENT. Janet turns to Ed... who’sGRIM. Off Janet, TERRIFIED,SMASH BACK TO --

The capsule hurtles at A REVOLUTION A SECOND, the Agena spinning slowly in the distance...

Sunlight FLASHES off the windows,SMASHING US BACK INTO--

Sunlight BLAZES intermittently, a STROBE LIGHT on the ephemera flying across the cabin. It’s DIZZYING...

Dave’s eyes ROLL BACK. Neil clocks it, tries to focus on the console, searching for an answer. The soundFADES to the SLOSHINGin Neil’s ears as we SMASH INTO --

NEIL'S POV. He’s starting to GRAY OUT. He SHUTS his eyes and OPENS them... everythingSPINS AROUND HIMat nauseating speed, it’s almost as if he’s not moving at all...

Now the sloshing in his earsFADES to EERIE QUIET... and we hearTHE AWFUL WHIR of KAREN'S COBALT MACHINE.

Neil SHUTS HIS EYES again... trying to PUSH the sound away... in the dark, he faintly HEARS a HISSING...

Neil’s eyesFLY OPEN and he YANKS the breakers, CUTTING ALL POWER. It goes BLACK, save for the flickering sunlight...

Neil’s eyesTICK over GAUGES. OAMS DROP but ROLL RATE keeps RISING. PUSH IN ON Neil’s eyes, TWITCHINGand SMASH INTO --

NEIL'S POV. A BLUR. The fuzzy roll rate needle inches past 500°/second. Neil’s eyes start to roll back and...

IT GOES DARK... Karen’s cobalt machine growsLOUDER...

NeilFORCES his eyes open... they DARTacross the controls... searching for an answer, a way out...

...when he looks overhead and spots aRED CONTROL.

Neil shakes Dave, pulling him awake.

FUCCI (COMMS) NEIL

Gemini 8, CSQ, come in... We need a rocket to stop the

spin. The Re-entry rockets...

Dave, GROGGY, gets it. He reaches for the squibs.

Dave blows the squibs and Neil REACHES OVER HIS HEAD, flicks on the re-entry control system. NOTHING HAPPENS. Shit.

Dave, struggling to stay conscious, resets.

Dave re-arms as Neil again reaches up and...BOOM, BOOM, BOOM! The re-entry boostersFIRE, SPINNING the capsuleFASTER...

NeilGRIPS the thruster, BATTLES to stabilize the ship as Dave FADES. Neil’s eyes TICK to the roll rate. 525, 530, 530... the needleHOLDS. Is it working? PUSH IN ONNeil, FORCING HIMSELFto stay conscious, WILLING the needle to FALL...

As Neil, struggling,STARTS TO FADE, weSMASH TO --

CLOSE ONa needle, QUIVERING at 530°/second. Men crowd around Fucci, staring. And sweating.

The men stand frozen, worried. It’s SILENT. Lovell looks to Kraft, Deke and Hodge. Conrad and others crowd round. GRIM.

STATIC cuts him off. Then, faintly...

DAVE (COMMS)

...regaining control... RCS CONRAD direct. Motherfucker.

As the group lets out a collective breath,SMASH BACK TO --

Dave, foggy, unsettled, watches Neil calmly pulsing the RCS, eyes on the DROPPING roll rate gauge...300°... 250°... 200°...

Dave nods, eyes the fuel gauge. The sun stops strobing, the flight plans stop whipping about the cabin...

FUCCI (COMMS)

8, CSQ. How are you doing? DAVE (INTO COMMS)

We are pulsing the RCS pretty slowly so we don’t-- it’s all roll right, we are trying to kill our roll rate.

FUCCI (COMMS) DAVE

Okay. Everything’s okay. (to Neil)

You believe this guy?

Off Neil,CUT BACK TO --

Hodge leans in.

much RCS have you used?

Hodge and Deke both turn to Kraft, surprised.

DEKE

What about the E.V.A. and -- KRAFT

We gotta get them home.

Kraft heads off. As Deke REELS, Ed walks up. Sotto --

CLOSE ONJan waiting by the door. In her eyes, intenseANGER andWORRY. A long beat... then Deke walks out with Ed.

DEKE

I’ll see what I can -- JANET

Turn it back on now.

DEKE

There’s a security protocol, JANET I can’t just -- Bullshit.

TEARS WELL... Embarrassed and ANGRY, sheSTALKS OFF.

Deke doesn’t follow.

ED

The Life guy, Morse, he was PAO (O.C.) with Jan, he leaked it to -- Deke, I need a statement.

The Public Affairs Officer RUNS up.

Shit. Off Deke, CUT BACK TO --

It's quiet, a checklist floating calmly, the roll stopped.

Dave hesitates, realizing they're terminating the flight.But Neil just pulls out a map, surveys the landing area.

The slightest hint of frustration. But there’s nothing to do.

Downcast, Dave turns to the basic computer, starts punching numbers in when... POP! POP! POP! Dave STIFFENS, SPINS...

...to find NeilFIRING the OAMS thrusters.

Off Dave,UNNERVED, CUT TO --

The room BUZZES, prepping for re-entry.Gilruth huddles with Deke and Kraft. A beat. Then we hear Lovell --

The men turn,ALARMED. Hodge and Lovell look TENSE.

LOVELL NEIL (COMMS)

Neil? (beat)

Checking OAMS, thruster 8 failed open at present.

Is he nuts? Hodge leans into the Comms.

Off the men, weCUT TO --

Ed drives Janet home. She stares ahead, STILLFURIOUS. Ed considers talking, thinks better of it. A beat, then he turns onto their street. We see the HORDE of PRESS. It’s GROWN.

EdPUSHES into the house with Janet, press calling out after them until EdSHUTS THE DOOR. The press falls back.

As Jan recovers, Ed glances at Pat, on the sofa with the kids... watching Adam West’sBATMAN. OBLIVIOUS. Ed smiles... when the show is INTERRUPTED by an ABC NEWS SPECIAL REPORT.

SCARED, Rick looks to Janet. At a loss, she walks into --

Janet pours herself a glass of water.She starts to lift it, but her hand isSHAKING. Janet tries to settle herself...

...but she can’t. The glass shakes evenMORE VIOLENTLY, until Janet has no choice but to set it down.

As Janet leans against the sink, STRUGGLING, wePRELAP--

Dave stows gear while Neil checks headings, helmets now on.

The COMMS CUT OUT. They're on their own.

Dave looks UNSURE, but Neil reaches for the throttle.

1, 2, 3, 4, LIGHT.

...5, 4, 3, 2, 1 RETROFIRE.

Neil FIRES the Retro-rockets... he and Dave areSLAMMED into their seats as the spaceship HURTLESdown towards the earth...

Neil’s harness won't lock. Frustrated, heJAMS the buckle together... RESTRICTING his right arm.Neil grimaces as sunlight streams in, the horizon at the top of the window.

Neil’s uncharacteristically ANTSY.It makes Dave NERVOUS.

If not, it’s too late.

The atmosphere GRABS HOLD, G forcesINCREASING. The heat CONSUMES them, the plasma GLOWING PINKin the window...

As Neil and Dave SWEAT and STRAIN against it all, we --

SMASH TO BLACK.

FADE IN:

Gilruth stands at the podium, addressing aMASSof reporters.

Gemini 8 Pilot Press Conference March 26, 1966

Find Neil behind him with Dave and NASA personnel.Neil looks MORE UNCOMFORTABLE than he was moments ago...

Low, Gilruth, Kraft, Deke and ARMY BRASS at a long table. Neil and Dave sit across from them.

We hearCLACKING, spot a STENOGRAPHER. It’s aFORMAL MISSION REVIEW. And judging by Low’s tone, Neil's job is on the line.

As Neil considers, weSMASH BACK TO --

THE PRESS CONFERENCE. A HOUSTON POST reporter.

Off Neil, HESITATING, not in his element,SMASH BACK TO--

THE FORMAL MISSION REVIEW.

THE PRESS CONFERENCE. A TIMES Reporter.

Neil HESITATES... and questions KEEP COMING.In QUICK CUTS --

SPIN BACK TONeil. Blank, EXHAUSTED. Is he going to EXPLODE?

A pause. Then the room breaks into LAUGHTER. Neil forces a smile as weSMASH BACK TO --

THE CONFERENCE ROOM. The men huddle. PULL BACK to find Neil still sitting there. Waiting. A LONG beat, then Low stands.

It’s not warm. Neil stands but no one else does. As Neil awkwardly walks out, UNSURE OF HIS FUTURE, wePRELAP --

CLOSE ON Neil on the phone. As AGITATEDas we’ve seen him.

Neil holds an ADVANCED COPY of a LIFE MAGAZINE article: “Our Wild Ride in Space!” by Neil Armstrong.

Now we see the Wall Street Journal on the kitchen table. A headline below the fold:Moon Race: Can’t Machines Do It?

Neil SLAMS down the phone. Janet, plating dinner, looks up.

But he walks out. Off Janet, CONCERNED,PRELAP a DOORBELL --

Ed opens the front door. And finds Janet.

She’s insistent. Ed hesitates but Pat, at the door as well, nudges him. He heads across the yard. Pat offers a smile.

Janet manages a laugh. A beat.

A LARGE DESK. Covered with SCHEMATICSof the Agena, DATA from Gemini 8,DIAGRAMS of the Gemini’s sixteen OAMS thrusters.

FINDNeil hunched over it all with an ENGINEER'S PAD. HOLD ON him, studying the malfunction, working the problem. We hear aRUMBLE and Neil looks up... Ed rolls down the stairs.

It’sAWKWARD, the fight still not really behind them. A beat.

No response from Neil. Ed, giving up, starts to retreat...

Ed pauses. He and Neil share a look. Detente. WE HEAR the Second Movement ofDvorak's New World Symphonyand CUT TO --

Neil and Ed sit drinking with Dave Scott.They listen to an 8- TRACK, Dvorak washing over them. Off the music --

Neil tosses a empty beer can at Ed.Ed laughs. So does Neil.

Neil nods. Ed eyes his beer, an odd look on his face.

Ed nods, tentative. Dave explodes, thrilled for him.

DAVE SCOTT

Holy shit. That’s huge! NEIL (CONT’D)

That Saturn’s a monster. It’s gonna be a helluva ride.

Neil’s SMILING, genuinely excited.

They all laugh, Ed clearly relieved at Neil’s reaction.

Ed and Neil stumble out of Dave’s house, start walking home. They walk quietly for a beat. Then --

Ed looks at Neil. Then LAUGHS. Neil does too. Then he slows, looking up at the night sky.

Ed smiles.

Ed smiles broadly. Neil smiles back... then he TIGHTENS.

But Neil isn’t sure. Off the DOUBTin his eyes, CUT TO --

A long hallway. At the end of it, Neil sits on a folding chair outside the corner office. TAPPINGhis foot.

CLOSE ONNeil, SWEATING. Nervous unlike anything we’ve seen. He scratches his leg. Again. Foot still TAPPING. At last, the door opens. Deke leans out.

Neil stands. Quickly. Deke leads him into --

Wood paneling, a few service plaques, function over form. Gilruth sits behind a desk, Kraft at a work table.

Neil stands. Awkward.

Neil doesn’t show much, but he’s clearly relieved.

Neil nods, walks out. Deke follows him into --

Neil and Deke walk down the hall. A beat, then --

Deke glances at him.

Off Neil, less than thrilled,CUT TO--

Janet holds up a BLUE SUIT. Irritated.

Neil, in anAPRON, makes pancakes. PERFECT HALF DOLLARS.

Neil frowns as Ed walks in the front door with a duffle.

Ed laughs. And notices SCHEMATICS on the table. DIAGRAMS for the LUNAR LANDING TEST VEHICLE, an odd, free-flying trainer that’ll simulate lunar gravity. And yes, it’s an update of the diagram that inspired Neil to join Apolloback onP.19.

Neil grimaces.

CLOSE ONan OPEN SUITCASE. Socks, underwear and A TUX; packed METICULOUSLY. Neil adds a dopp kit then hesitates. He picks it up. Eyes TICKING over the toothbrush, toothpaste...

Neil looks up flustered,AGITATED. Janet moves to him.

Neil looks up, nods. Janet leans in, kisses his cheek, starts to go... but he pulls her back.

It isn’t really. But she wants to be strong for him. Neil, VULNERABLE, pulls her in. Holds tight. Off Janet, CUT TO --

CLOSE ONNeil. In a TUXEDO. Stiff. Uncomfortable.

REVERSE to Conrad and Jim Lovell, across from Neil. Conrad SMIRKS at Neil as the limo stops and the door opens on...

A RED CARPET. REPORTERS line the entrance toTHE WHITE HOUSE. As Pete gets out, WAVING, weHOLD ONNeil... uneasy.

CLOSE ON a formal international document:The Treaty on Outer Space, January 27, 1967. As LBJ’s familiar voice rolls on...

...REVEALa room of DIGNITARIES. LBJ sits at a signing table. We’reBEHIND HIM with Neil and the other astronauts.

LBJ hands a pen to a heavyset AMBASSADOR wearing a SICKLE PIN. As he moves to sign the treaty, Conrad whispers to the others.

Neil turns, but before Pete can go on, they’re overwhelmed by APPLAUSE and FLASHBULBS. As Neil flinches, weFLASH TO --

Lovell and Neil talk to a Senator.Neil clings to a beer.

Neil looks uncomfortable. The congressman notices.

Neil doesn’t know what to say. Lovell steps in...

Lovell leads the Senator across the room to Gilruth... and away from Neil. Neil awkwardly drifts toward the bar.

He stands there for a moment, totally out of place... when a PRETTY STAFFER appears at his side with a FLIRTY SMILE.

She walks off, confused.

Neil sees Conrad’s beside him. Conrad waves for a beer.

Neil stares at him.

Lovell walks up, nods to the bartender for a beer.

He takes a drink, then leans into Neil so Pete can’t hear him.

Deke rides up the elevator with Gus, Ed and ROGER CHAFFEE, 32, suited up, carrying helmets. Ed looks down the side of the SATURN 1B ROCKET, at the cape stretching out below.THRILLED.

Yes, we're 40 STORIES UP, scaling a rocketFOUR TIMES THE SIZE OF GEMINI’S TITANand it’s SPECTACULAR. But only Ed notices.

The elevator stops. Short. A FOOT below ADJUSTABLE LEVEL 8 and the GLEAMING APOLLO CAPSULE sitting atop the Saturn. As Gus SHOOTS Deke a look, pulls himself up, weCUT TO --

PAD LEADER GUENTER WENDT oversees techs removing thick power cords from the new APOLLO CAPSULE.It’s very shiny indeed.

Through the hatch, we see Ed, helmet now on, pushes the inner hatch towards us SEALING THE CAPSULE.We feel the excitement as techs close the middle hatch above it and we go...

CLOSE ON RATCHETS. Tightening six different latches. CUT from RATCHET to RATCHET until...

They close the cover, start the process again. PUSH INTO --

CLOSE ONanother ratchet tightening a latch.

FINDEd in the familiar Apollo cockpit. He glances at the OTHER FIVE LOCKED LATCHES, puts away the ratchet.

We hear theHISS of oxygen... and SNIPPETSof conversation over Comms. Gus, beside Ed, hits the comms button.

Uh, let’s hold the countdown.

A beat. The crew looks annoyed.

...Gus, we didn’t get that.

As Gus, pissed, shakes his head, weCUT TO--

An elevatorDINGS. Lovell, Conrad and Neil get off.

Neil peels off.

Neil walks in, neatly hangs his jacket in the closet.He pulls at his tie, sits on the bed and reaches for the phone, DIALING then taking off his shoes as he waits for...

Neil can’t help but smile. Excited for Apollo. For Ed.

Neil hangs up, grabs the remote... a Zenith‘SPACE COMMANDER.’ He blinks at the name... then snaps on the TV and settles in.

Ed looks over a manual, clearly BORED.

DEKE (COMMS)

A few more minutes, we’ve just about got it sorted. GUS (INTO COMMS)

Shit, we’re gonna be here all night.

DEKE (COMMS)

Easy, everyone just cool it. GUS (INTO COMMS)

Get the damn comms working and we’ll cool it.

TECH (COMMS)

I got a surge in the AC Bus 2 LAUNCH DIRECTOR (COMMS) Voltage. Try resetting the meter.

Gus, happy to have something to do, looks over the gauges.

Chaffee turns to look and notices aSMALL FLAME on the floor. Before he can react... the flame JUMPS.

The flame FLASHES through the cockpit,FIRE BLAZING around all three of them. Ed and Gus react -- it’s frighting, but they stay CALM, HUSTLING through evacuation procedures...

Ed reaches for the hatch... the latches areTIGHT. He grabs a ratchet, STRUGGLES to loosen a latch, but his arm isENGULFED by fire. He KEEPS WORKING... even as his suit starts toMELT.

Ed GRIMACES. The latch isn’t budging. His eyes DART to the other five latches. As he starts to PANIC,SMASH TO --

A FAR VIEW of the CAPSULE from 400 feet below.It looks fine.

LAUNCH DIRECTOR ROCCO PETRONE, 40, eyes the capsule on the B&W MONITOR. We’re in a makeshift LAUNCH COMMANDat the base of the rocket. Deke walks up with a cup of coffee.

The tech at the comms shrugs. Petrone tries again.

We got a fire in the cockpit!

Petrone pauses, eyes the monitor... as the hatch windowLIGHTS UP, turningWHITE. Deke remains calm.

No response. Deke takes the Comms.

Deke looks up. High above, techs move towards the capsule.

burning up! We’re burning...

They hear ChaffeeSCREAM. It’s PRIMAL, HEART-STOPPING. Deke, now CONCERNED, looks up. A beat, then --

BOOM!!! The capsule RUPTURES, SMOKE POURING OUT...

Everyone in the blockhousePALES. Deke and Petrone stare, incredulous as the techs above fall back.

Deke, UNNERVED, takes the comms, tries to remain professional.

But there's NO RESPONSE. Off Deke --

Janet reads, Rick and Mark play on floor.A quiet moment... until the phoneRINGS. Janet stands, picks up the phone.

Off Janet, PALE,SMASH TO --

The kids play as Janet helps Pat carry in grocery bags.

Pat smiles, chipper, when the doorbellRINGS.

Pat exits. Janet puts the milk in the fridge... when she hears an AWFUL, GUT WRENCHING, ANIMALISTICSCREAM.

Jan freezes. As the sound RIPPLES through her,SMASH TO --

Neil as we left him, on his bed, tux still on, watching TV. And waiting. A beat. Then the phoneRINGS. Neil grabs it.

Neil sits there. Blinks. Not following.

Neil hangs up. A beat. Neil sits, silent. Blank. He lifts the phone, as if to make a call... and holds the receiver, the dial tone PULSING, growingLOUDER, until...

...heSMASHES the receiver on the cradle.

Again.

Andagain.

AndAGAIN.

Harder now. Until he’s smashing the receiver on the cradle with such FORCE...

...that the phoneCRACKS... the nightstandBUCKLES.

And still he continues. Pain and rage pouring out...

He keepsPOUNDING the phone... UNTIL it’sPULVERIZED... UNTIL the nightstandSPLITS... UNTIL his fingers, his hand starts to BLEED... UNTIL at last he runs out of steam.

And pauses. PANTING. His face contorted... his eyesTICKING to his hand. BADLY MAULED, blood DRIPPINGdown the phone...

We hold on him for an awful beat and then we...

FADE IN:

TIGHT ON NEIL’S FACE. Eyes focused, but EMOTIONLESS. DEAD. A stark contrast to the jagged hand-held camera.And a stark contrast to the Neil we last saw. Wounds buried, yet there on the surface. Scar tissue, invisible to most, less so to us.

Ellington Air Force Base May 6, 1968

PULL BACKto find Neil exposed to the elements, strapped into THE LUNAR LANDING TEST VEHICLE. A MESS of METAL PIPES with a COCKPIT. The realization of the DIAGRAMS we saw onP.101.

Copy. Correcting.

Neil hits the thruster and aBURST of peroxide spits out to our right. As it pushes the LLTV left wePULL BACK FURTHER...

Neil’sHUNDREDS OF FEET ABOVE THE GROUNDin a contraption that doesn’t look like it should fly. Jesus. The camera does a WILD 360around the belching craft then...PUSHES IN on Neil.

Dead-eyed, but alert, Neil hits a button and starts to guide the LLTV to a landing. Thrusters POPand HISS; the craft ROCKSand BUCKS, but Neil’s eyes REMAIN STEADY on his gauges.

CLOSE ONthe ALTITUDE GAUGE: 400... 300... 200 feet.

Neil calmly pilots the LLTV down through 100 feet... When the bottomFALLS OUT. The craft starts toDROP RAPIDLY.

NeilPULLS on the thruster, but the LLTV doesn't respond.

Neil HITS the thrusters again... The craftSHOOTS UP to 200 feet... then ROLLS SHARPLY TO THE RIGHT!! It’s terrifying.

SteamSPITS from the thrusters; peroxide particles burn Neil's neck. UNFAZED, he tries to correct the roll... only to have the craft goUP ON IT’S SIDE LIKE A CARNIVAL RIDE!

Neil quickly PULLS the throttle right, but now the LLTVSWAYS BACK EVEN FURTHER ON THE OTHER SIDE!! HOLY FUCK!!

But Neil, eyesDARK, barely registers this. Lovell’s voice FADES... thenTHE SOUND DROPS OUT ENTIRELY.

PUSH INTIGHT ON NEIL’S FACE IN TOTAL SILENCE.

We clock theINTENSITY, HARD and COLD, theDARKNESS in his eyes... MORE FRIGHTENING than anything happening around him.

A long beat... then Neil’s eyesTICK DOWN.

We see the groundRUSHING UP to meet the craft.

LIGHTENING FASTNeil PULLS the ejection handle. BOOM!!!

SOUND COMES RUSHING BACK as the Ejection SeatEXPLODESout of the LLTV,TOSSING Neil a hundred feet up into the air!!!

POP POP POP! Neil’s parachute unfurls, stabilizing us just in time to see the LLTV CRASH below... andBURST INTO FLAMES. Off Neil, staring down at theFIERY BLAZE OF METAL,PRELAP --

Kraft and Deke argue with Neil.

DEKE

Neil, the political fallout NEIL from another accident -- That’s what you’re worried

about?

DEKE

You could have died, Neil. NEIL

But I didn’t.

DEKE

A split second more and -- NEIL

We need to fail!

Deke REACTS, but Neil’s too far gone to notice...

A beat. Off the tense standoff, we PRELAP--

Janet stands by the stove, cooking.Or rather she was. Now she LISTENS to the radio on the sill.PALE.

The door opens. Neil walks in, sees dinner isn’t on the table, starts to head towards his office when...

Neil stops, turns. IMPENETRABLE.

It’s hard to take; Janet needs more, but Neil’s distracted. His eyesTICK to the radio.

Neil STIFFENS. Janet, visibly upset, turns back to the stove. The radio seems to growLOUDER.

The front doorSLAMS. Janet turns. Neil’s gone.

A 60’s diner. Neil eats alone, studying data from his LLTV crash. He jots down a note and takes a bite of steak which he’s cut into CUBES (so he can eat while he works).

Neil’s so engrossed, he doesn’t hearTHE MUSIC. Hendrix. All Along the Watchtower. As it rolls past him, weRACK FOCUS to a table of YOUNG HIPPIES. Facial hair, tie-dye, a box radio.

AGIRL in Joplin sunglasses (think Penny Lane)STARES at Neil. His cut up steak. His close cropped hair. His thin black tie. He’s a walking ANACHRONISM.

The girl points. The others SNICKER. Neil doesn’t notice.

PUSH INon him, OBLIVIOUS. A man alone, out of time, but nonetheless hell bent, single minded, DETERMINED.His eyes TICKING insistently, his focus UNWAVERING. That is, until...

AFILE is dropped in front of Neil. CONFIDENTIAL. Neil looks up, finds Deke. Who sits, nods at the file. Neil opens it.

GRAINY PHOTOGRAPHS of aHUGE ROCKET. With RUSSIAN MARKINGS.

Dammit.

NeilREALIZES...

Deke nods. Holy shit. Even Neil is struck.

Deke leaves. Neil processes. He’s one of three men who might land on the moon. Jesus. A beat, then wePULL BACK...

HIGH AND WIDEon the DINER. The Hendrix, the hippies and the anonymous astronaut... who very well might make history.

We take in the oddity of the tableau, thenCUT TO--

A crane lifts the ENORMOUS SECOND STAGE of aSATURN ROCKET. We’re in the 8-acre, 526-foot-tall hanger that is the V.A.B.

MIKE COLLINS(38, shrewd) stands with Neil, Buzz, Lovell, Dave and a few others as the crane sets the second stage atop the first, which sits on the massive APOLLO CRAWLER-TRANSPORTER.

Lovell, a little pale, heads off towards the office.

Dave turns towards Neil, surprised.And a bit AGITATED.

Neil doesn’t respond. Dave, annoyed, walks off after Lovell.

Neil doesn’t like this talk; neither do the others.

It’sSHARP. Buzz turns, surprised. Before he can respond, the men see Lovell WAVING from the office.SMASH TO --

CLOSE ON aRADIO CONSOLE. We hear COMMS. IN RUSSIAN.

Understood. Our comrades recommend a deep breath.

Neil and the others join Lovell and Deke at the console.A MILITARY AIDE/TRANSLATOR, 20s, explains.

He’s mid-retrofire.

It’s good news for our team. But no one’s smiling.

you’re coming down too fast.

The men clock Komarov’s tone.

NEIL

What’s happening? MILITARY TRANSLATOR

The Soyuz’s attitude is off, it’s not getting any lift.

your drogue to slow descent!

He’s gotta be coming in hot.

They LEAN IN, the human element superseding the competitive.

Didn’t get that. Can you re--

He’s got to have a reserve.

They listen, TENSE... then Komarov starts toSCREAM.

STATIC. The astronauts BLANCH.

A beat. Nothing but STATIC on the radio.

The men look down. GRIM. All save for Neil. Who heads out.

He exits. Off Dave, STUNNED, we CUT TO--

TELEVISION FOOTAGE - ABC NEWS

COLOR FOOTAGE of ABC SCIENCE EDITOR JULES BERGMAN at the Cape, APOLLO 8towering on the launch pad in the distance.

The broadcast continues but we’re now on the scene.Bergman sits at a desk in front of an ABC camera crew.

The camera starts MOVING,PUSHING PASTBergman to a HUGE FIELD OF HUMANITY; Apollo posters, bell bottoms, Sgt. Pepper...it’s Woodstock for geeks. In the middle of it all, aNASA VAN rolls from the launch pad towards mission control.CUT INTO --

Neil, Buzz and Fred Haise, the Apollo 8 backups, sit in back. Buzz stares out the window,riveted, focusing on...

PROTESTORS. We note the banners: Is space more important than our poor? Our boys in Vietnam? Buzz sees theANGER.

Buzz turns to Neil, reading a manual. COMPLETELY OBLIVIOUS. Off Buzz,clearly not understanding Neil at all,we CUT TO --

CLOSE ONNeil's eyes, now staring through the ENORMOUS WINDOWS of Launch Control at Apollo 8, steaming on the pad.In the b/g, the launch director runs through flight checks.

Even at a distance, the Saturn isHUGE. And at 7.5 million pounds of thrust, it’s the most powerful rocket in history.

As the flight crew sounds off, Deke joins Neil and looks down the line.... at Dave’s jaw tensing, at Buzz scratching at his neck, at Mike biting a nail... and then at Neil.Still.

I’m go. Launch commit.

The whole room QUIETS as the call continues.

We SEE the engines FIRE before we HEAR them... Lights and ceiling tiles begin to SHAKE. A couple comeCRASHING DOWN.

We hear the engines ROAR. A TSUNAMI OF THUNDER SLAMSinto the windows,BUCKLING the big one in front of Neil. Holy Shit!!! A number of menHIT THE DECK. Even NeilFLINCHES...

But the window HOLDS. And Apollo 8 lifts off the pad.

There's somethingTERRIFYING about the POWER of the big rocket, the SPEED at which it hurtles into the sky...

...but as it continues to rise, there’s scattered CLAPPING... the launch is successful. And momentarily, everyone starts to CHEER. Everyone, that is, but Neil. Who heads for the door.

Off Deke, CLOCKING THIS, we CUT TO --

CLOSE ON Neil washing his hands. Concentrating. Methodical.

Neil looks up. Deke’s walked in. Neil shrugs, turns back to the sink. Deke looks at him for a moment. Scrutinizing him.

Neil nods, pleased, but doesn’t acknowledge the potentially momentous nature of the mission.

Neil considers.

Clock reads 9pm. Neil’s hunched over a preliminary training schedule for Apollo 11.

Conrad, leaving, holds up a PACKET.Labeled APOLLO 12.

Neil shrugs. Conrad shakes his head.

Neil heads out. He starts to turn into the elevator bank when he spots aLIGHT ON down the hall. Curious, he walks on...

...and finds an open door. Inside, Buzz pours over a desk full of DIAGRAMS, EQUATIONS, TRAJECTORIES for the lunar landing. Buzz is so focused he doesn’t even notice Neil.

Off Neil, standing, watching Buzz, PROCESSING,CUT TO --

THREE MEN inGAS MASKS are led into a theater packed with reporters, pads and cameras ready.It’s ODD.

Apollo 11, Pre-Flight Press Conference July 5, 1969

The men are led on stage to a TALL, THREE-SIDED PLASTIC BOX. Fans are turned on to blow air TOWARDS THE AUDIENCE as the men sit, take off the masks. It’s Neil, Mike Collins... and BUZZ.

Neil, STIFF, glances at Deke then walks to the podium.

Neil sits, no trace of emotion. Deke takes the podium.

REPORTER #1 (standing) Neil, when you learned you were going to command this flight, were you surprised? Overjoyed?

REPORTER #1 Okay, but how would you compare this feeling with winning an automobile? Or being selected as an astronaut?

The reporter isn’t pleased, but another jumps up.

An awkward beat. Deke shoots Neil a look. Try harder.

REPORTER #2 Neil, if it does turn out, you’ll go down in history. What kind of thoughts do you have about that?

REPORTER #2 But when a thought hits you; ‘Gosh, suppose that flight is successful’ --

REPORTER #2 ...uh, I just meant, how you look at yourself as being part of history?

Neil hesitates... and in that moment Buzz jumps in.

Some laughter. Neil looks ever so slightlyIRRITATED.

REPORTER #3 You’re planning to take some of her jewelry to the moon, Buzz?

Buzz smiles, enjoying the limelight.

REPORTER #3 Neil, will you take anything?

An awkward SILENCE. Then Mike LAUGHS. Reporters, relieved, follow suit. But Neil doesn’t. Off Neil,UNCOMFORTABLE --

CLOSE ON a SUITCASE. Very tidy. FIND Neil packing. Methodical. Emotionless. A beat, then Janet walks in.

Neil keeps packing. A beat, then Janet reaches over,CLOSES the suitcase. Neil looks up at her.

He starts to turn back but she GRABS his arm.FORCEFUL.

Off Neil,CUT TO --

Rick (12) and Mark (6) both tucked in.Neil on Rick’s bed.

Neil hesitates.

Mark doesn’t know what to make of that. Rick tries to help.

Neil doesn’t like the question any more than he did from the reporters. He’s quiet. An AWKWARD BEAT. Jan steps in.

Relieved, Neil leaves. HOLD ON Janet. ALONE.

WIDEon the house. A BLACK CAR idling by the curb. Neil comes to the door, duffel and a briefcase.He gives Janet a perfunctory peck and walks to the car.

ON JANET, watching as Neil hands off his duffel, gets in the car and, without so much as a look back, shuts the door.

Neil sits back in his seat. He pulls out a mission briefing, starts to read as the driver gets back in the car.

The car pulls off. In that moment, the tension LEAVES Neil’s face. He looks out the window, at the houses slipping away... and we see imperceptibleRELIEF. The mission has begun.

A large campus, a maze of one story barracks.

Cape Canaveral, 4:20 AM, July 16, 1969

It's DARK, save for a light from one low window.And QUIET, save for a MUFFLED THUMPING. THA-THUMP. THA-THUMP. The sound takes us through the lit window into --

CLOSE ON aSTETHOSCOPE. FIND Neil, shirtless, in front of the flight surgeon. We hear Neil’s heart rateSPEED UP. Neil’s eyesTICK to the Doc. Is he concerned? A long beat, then...

Neil sits beside an odd flower centerpiece, working his way through steak and eggs. Like it’s any other day.

Deke eats breakfast with Neil and the two other astronauts. He’s staring at Buzz, SIGNING multiplePHOTOS OF HIMSELF.

Mike reacts. Seriously? Unnerved, he glances at Neil, but Neil just keeps eating, totally unfazed.

The men look up. Gilruth stands in the doorway, waiting. It’s time. As Neil stands, we CUT TO --

Deke leads the men into the ready room.Multiple techs swarm aroundTHREE ASTRONAUT SPACESUITS.

5:30 AM (T minus 4 hours, 3 minutes)

As the men start to strip down, we seeA SERIES of QUICK CUTS:

TapeSEALS up a DIAPER around a man’s waist.

A MESH of LIQUID-COOLING TUBES areFILLEDwith water; a ZIPPER CLOSESthe thin, nylon one-piece containing them.

A ZIPPERCLOSES the internal pressure suit; a ‘SLIDE FASTENER’ ZIPSit shut; then a THERMAL SKIN isVELCROED on top of that.

METALLIC RINGSSNAP ON one glove, then another; SLEEVES are ROLLEDover the rings.

An AIR NOZZLE isTWISTED ONTO the BLUE PORTAL on the front of a spacesuit; we hear theHISS of air as...

A HELMET isPLACED on the head of a PRETERNATURALLY CALM NEIL. The helmetSWIVELS into place and the soundFADES...

...we hear only theHISS OF OXYGEN as NeilCLOSES HIS EYES.

MATCH CUT TO --

CLOSE ONNeil, eyes still closed. The HISS of air pervades.

6:45 AM (T minus 2 hours, 48 minutes)

Neil opens his eyes, takes in theENORMOUS SATURN V ROCKET beside him. He rises quickly up its side on the high speed elevator with Buzz and Mike (suited up) and Deke.

And we can’t help but notice theFLOCKOF PRESS VANS below, the HORDE OF MEDIA AND SPECTATORS stretching out before them.

Even Mike and Buzz find it STAGGERING.But for Neil it’s DEEPLY UNSETTLING. He looks away, eyesTICKING to the checklist on his wrist,FOCUSING on it as only he can...

...until the elevatorJERKS to a halt.

Neil looks up. The door SWINGS opens. They've reached SWING ARM 9, which leads to the white room and the command module. Neil grabs his oxygen tank and leads the others onto --

Neil walks forward, eyes on the CAPSULE.Techs scurry, we hear chatter over comms, but it’s FAINT, SUBSUMED by the eerie hiss of oxygen and Neil’sINTENSE FOCUSon the task ahead.

This is a solitary moment. Neil barely noticing as a tech walks up to help him with his oxygen tank. Neil hands his tank to the tech, blinks... the tech looks likeELLIOT.

Neil turns away... and spots a tech who looks likeED.

Neil pauses. PUSH IN on his face, his eyes... as he CLOSES them. The HISSING grows louder and wePRELAP FAINT COMMS --

MATCH CUT TO --

Neil. Eyes closed.

T minus 2 hours 10 minutes

His eyes BLINK OPEN as the lights on the console FLASH ON. Neil’s strapped into the capsule. Buzz and Mike beside him.

The techs move to close the hatch but Deke leans in.

Neil’s thought it through, he isn’t fazed at all.Deke reacts. SURPRISINGLY EMOTIONAL, he GRABSNeil’s gloved hand.

Deke exits. The techs move in to close the hatch,COVERING the front window with a PROTECTIVE SHIELD.We HOLD ON the three men in the tight,CLAUSTROPHOBICcabin.

An odd quiet. Eerily punctuated by a loudHISS.

Proceeding to checks. Running Emergency Detection system.

Neil, seemingly oblivious to the stifling atmosphere, starts into checks with the others and we seeA SERIES OF QUICK CUTS:

HANDSflipping through the Flight Plan and the Mission Rules.

FINGERSflicking switches, punching buttons.

EYESticking from the books to the console to the clock.

Checking Propulsion System...

Finalizing Stabilization...

A FINALFLURRY of BUTTONS DEPRESSED, LIGHTING UP, ofSWITCHES FLIPPED ON and we arrive at...

FIDO (COMMS)

T minus 2 minutes. LAUNCH DIRECTOR (COMMS)

Final Pre-launch sequence.

The men sit, nothing to do but wait.Neil is BLANK, but we FEEL the nervous anticipation of Buzz and Mike because... we’re not going anywhere. WE’RE GONNA STAY WITH THE CREW FOR THE WHOLE DAMN MISSION.So buckle the fuck up...

sequence. Final abort checks.

PUSH INon Neil, hand on the ABORT HANDLE. Seemingly CALM.

FIDO (COMMS)

60 seconds and counting. LAUNCH DIRECTOR (COMMS)

All is still go. Propellant tanks pressurized, oxidizer tanks now have pressurized.

PUSH IN FURTHERon Neil’s EYES. Dark. INTENSE. A WEALTH of EMOTIONS. We HOLD ON NEIL’S EYES as the call continues...

FIDO (COMMS)

T minus 30 seconds. LAUNCH DIRECTOR (COMMS)

3rd stage tanks pressurized, readings indicate we are go.

FIDO (COMMS)

20 seconds... LAUNCH DIRECTOR (COMMS)

2nd stage tanks pressurized, guidance is now internal...

We hear a LOUDRUMBLING from far below as the capsule begins to shake. HOLD ON Neil. Steady. Unyielding.

The noise gets LOUDER... the ROAR of 7.5 MILLION POUNDS OF THRUST SLAMMING into the ground DROWNS OUTthe countdown.

The capsuleBUCKS violently, SLAMMINGNeil back in his seat.

It's FAR WORSE THAN GEMINI. Even Neil is STARTLED, but he WILLShimself to FOCUS, eyes TICKING RAPIDLYfrom clock to console as theROAR goes on, the cockpit continues toSHAKE...

Neil glances to his right... Buzz looksTENSE, Mike looks BEWILDERED... no sense of whether they've lifted off...

Can this possibly be what it's supposed to feel like?

Neil’s eyes TICK to his CHECKLIST...ROLL AT 15 SECONDS. He glances at the clock,PUNCHES in the maneuver... and weFEEL the rocket ROLL, g-forces so INTENSE all three men turnGREEN.

Neil PUSHES THROUGH, eyes GLUED to the instruments as, at last, the roar FADES and, faintly, we hear COMMS...

Neil nods to Buzz. He hits a switch and the roarQUIETS.

Staging... and ignit--

BOOM! The men are SLAMMED back into their seats... but the shaking quickly FADES to an UNSETTLING QUIETas the second stage propels them out of the atmosphere.

It’s SURPRISINGLY SERENE until...

BANG! Neil hits a button and the escape rocket and protective shield are JETTISONED. BLUE SKY appears in the window.

Roger. We confirm.

The small square of blue is a RELIEF... but Mike’s smileFADES as the blue skyRAPIDLY TURNS BLACK...MUCH FASTER than Gemini or in the X-15. It’s TERRIFYING, but Neil ignores it...

4 breakers in, switches up.

Buzz punches a ready button... and gets no response. He hits the button a few more times... it finally flicks ON.

Injection.

No, there’s no time for commentary. Mike eyes a STOPWATCH...

Neil HITS the throttle. A FLASH out the window and they’re PRESSED BACK in their seats again. It’s smooth, if JARRING...

Neil and Buzz monitor the burn, but Mike is DISTRACTED. He motions to Buzz, who turns. And seesSPARKS. Jesus.

The engine? Shit. Mike PALES as a console lightFLASHES.

The capsule SHAKES. Neil just works a CALCULATOR, CALM. Mike stares: Is it that he’s not worried? Or that he doesn’t care?

Neil holds his calculations out to Mike.

...do that?

Mike reacts to the SLIGHT URGENCY in Neil’s voice.He quickly makes the adjustment. Neil hits the stick andPOP! They’re HURLEDagainst their harnesses into MICROGRAVITY.

The men catch their breath, pull off their helmets.As Neil takes a reading, Buzz’s helmet FLOATS across the cabin.He reaches for it, spots the VISTA in the window...

NOTHING BUT SPACE. Earth is far behind already, they're on a dark and lonely sea. It’s AWESOME. And TERRIFYING.

BUZZ

Good burn, good focus, Neil. MIKE COLLINS (INTO COMMS)

Houston, do you copy?

No answer from Houston. Mike leans in again.

Still no answer. Buzz and Mike trade a look, the silence CHILLING. Neil, unconcerned, jots down residuals, then --

But Neil ignores him, startsPUNCHING BUTTONS. Buzz, surprised, takes the comms from Mike.

Still nothing. Neil keeps prepping.

Mike isUNEASY, unsure what to do. An AWKWARD BEAT, then...

Buzz and Mike trade a look. RELIEVED.

well on your way now.

But Buzz and Mike pause, TROUBLED. Watching Neil. There's no escaping what transpired. And there's no turning back.

Mike and Buzz snap to, ready for the maneuver.

Vehicle SEP pushbutton.

Neil hits the PYROS. The LOUD CRACKof the pyro explosion surprises the crew andSMASH TO --

FROM AFARwe see the explosion RIP OFFfour panels connecting the Command Service Module (CSM) to the Saturn’s third stage.

It’sJARRING. Was that planned? We watch the panelsFLOAT off as the CSM and what’s left of the Saturn race on towards the moon. The quiet is eerie, UNNERVING, until...

RCS jets FIRE in four directions. In aTHRILLING LONG SHOT, the CSM slowlyROTATES 180 degrees, nosing towards what's left of the Saturn rocket... and theLUNAR MODULE(LM) within.

It’s a STUNNING BALLET, the CSM shifting, INCHING forward...

A small PROBE extends from the CSM’s nose,SCRAPING the LM... NAILS on a chalkboard. Is something wrong? For a beat, we wonder... then the LM’sDROGUE latches on. Both crafts SHAKE.

Docking probe, retract.

The CSM gently PULLS the LM free of the Saturn, itsFAMOUS ORANGE HULL SHIMMERING in the sunlight. It's BREATHTAKING.

Slowly, the COMBINED CRAFT startsROTATING, speedingBACKWARDS towards the moon. We PAN around the ship...PUSH down the side,CUTTING INTO --

Mike looks to the earth,FURTHER AWAYthan he’s ever seen it and SWIFTLY RECEDING into the distance... the magnitude of what they're doing now clear.

It's HUMBLING. FRIGHTENING.

Neil reaches into the hold, pulls out an8-TRACK and floats it to Mike. Mike surprised, grabs the 8-track, hits play as Neil grabs aSEXTANT, starts checking their alignment...

We hear the 2nd movement ofDVORAK'S NEW WORLD SYMPHONY. The purposeful, optimistic opening giving way to drums and a LONELY CLARINET. It SWIRLS around the men...

...and now Buzz stops working, catching sight of theRECEDING EARTHin the window. He and Mike STARE, struck by howFRAGILE the earth looks, howSMALL.

Mike glances at Neil, taking readings, checking calculations, not taking even a moment to note the majesty or the grandeur.

As theHAUNTING CLARINET moves us through time and space, the earth getting smaller in the window, Neil fails to notice.

As he mechanically lifts ELLIOT’S SEXTANT for another reading--

TIME CUT TO --

REVEALMike, GRIMY flight suit, thick STUBBLE, red eyes. He floats past wires taped with soiled duct tape over to a grubby CALENDAR scrawled on the wall. He crosses off day 3 of 9.

Mike wipes his brow, already sick of the DANK cabin and floats over to Buzz and Neil (flight suits, stubble).They hover over a TOPOGRAPHICAL MAP of the moon.

He’s dismissive. Buzz notes it. Uneasy.

As he says it, aDARK OBJECT fills THREE QUARTERS of the hatch window. It’s our first close view ofTHE MOON, its barren surfaceSTARK and FORBODING. As the men take it in,CUT TO --

The craft floatsBACKWARDS in orbit around the moon.

The moon is no longer an image in the window but aFULL-SCALE PLANETARY BODY. The sight of the craft orbiting it is both viscerally REAL and unbelievably UNREAL.It's STARTLING.

Mike's voice PULLS US BACK INTO --

Mike and Buzz stare out at the moon, inAWE... but Neil’s already focused on what’s next.

They stare. Buzz and Mike clearly bothANTSY.

Mike and Buzz move to comply, but Neil stares out the window. PUSH IN on his eyes, resolved. MoreINTENSE then ever.

The cabin lights are dim. Mike TAPES UP the windows to keep out the sunlight and the bright moonshine.

The cameraFLOATS DOWN to the lower deck, Buzz and Neil stretched out in floating hammocks.Buzz is chatty, TENSE.

It’sABRUPT. As Buzz, AFFRONTED, closes his eyes, wePAN UP to Neil andPUSH IN on his EYES. WIDE OPEN. Tired, but TICKINGup and down, reading something. TILT UP to...

A MAP OF THE LUNAR LANDINGAREA taped to the ceiling. We HOLD ONit for a beat...

...thenPAN BACK DOWN to Neil. Still studying the map.

We've TIME CUT... the day is upon us. Neil’s eyes now SUNKEN, but we see the ADRENALINE PUMPING.As he sits up, we CUT TO --

Mike,ON EDGE, works a fuel cell purge, a camera set up and an auto maneuver. Neil collects his pack, preps to enter the LM.

Neil shakes him off. Mike, sweaty, wrestles a storage bin.

The storage binPOPS open, film rolls FLOAT in all directions.

Mike tries to SETTLE, clearly nervous about being left alone.

Neil nods, grabs his PLSS pack and FLOATS TO the open hatch at the TOP of the CSM. STAY WITH NEIL as heFLOATS INTO --

THE CONNECTING TUNNEL. We look up... from Neil’s POV, Buzz is STANDING UPSIDE DOWNin the Lunar Module. It's DISORIENTING.

Neil BLINKS away the vertigo, pulls himself into --

We follow Neil in,ROTATING with him until what was just upside down is RIGHT SIDE UP. Neil glances at Mike,now upside down in the CSM, then closes the hatch.

Well, we’re waiting on you.

Buzz, ANTSY, looks at Neil, calmly stowing his gear.

Neil doesn’t say anything. It makes BuzzMORE FIDGETY.

Buzz looks to Neil. Neil nods.

We hear the CSM THRUSTERS repositioning the combined craft... the moonTURNING SLOWLY in the window.

Neil reaches for the throttle. PUSH INon his tired eyes...

JUMP CUTto his WATCH... seconds ticking by... until at last we HEAR the probe above themRETRACT.

NeilPUSHES the thruster. The LM slowly moves from the CSM.

Neil looks towards the waiting moon.PUSH OUT INTO --

FROM AFARwe see the LM slowly BREAKING AWAY from the CSM...

The gas jetsROTATE the LM, pointing the landing gear forward.

Go for PDI, Eagle.

But Buzz soundsCONCERNED as we PUSH BACK INTO--

NeilSTRUGGLES with a BREAKER on the console. It’s come LOOSE, Neil tries to JAM it back into place.

NEIL

...cottonpicker won’t stay. CAPCOM (COMMS)

Eagle, Houston. Alignment is go. One minute to ignition.

Neil doesn’t respond, just keeps working on it.

Protocol says we should --

BANG! Neil POUNDS the breaker back in. It stays.

Neil gets to work, like nothing happened. For a moment, Buzz stands, staring... UNEASY, knowing his life’s in Neil’s hands.

Altitude lights on. Proceed.

Neil eyes his stopwatch again... the secondsTICKby...

Neil eases the throttle forward and the lunar moduleLURCHES ahead... towards the surface.

Neil's eyesTICK across the console; we’ve seen it before, but now he’s PUSHING THROUGH fatigue, running onADRENALINE...

A button on the consoleFLASHES ON. 1202. It beeps softly.

A long beat. The beeping seems to growLOUDER. Neil's eyes TICK RAPIDLYfrom the alarm to his DROPPING ALTITUDE GAUGE...

STATIC. Fuck. The alarm seems to growLOUDER, DEAFENING.

...we’re go on that alarm.

Buzz, relieved, shuts it off. Neil checks his instruments.

Another button FLASHES ON. The sameBEEPING again...

Neil reacts, uncharacteristically ANNOYED. Buzz shuts it off.

Roger. Go for landing.

A THIRD ALARM beeps. A new one. This time NeilIGNORES it.

But Neil keeps flying. The beepingPERVADES the tiny space.

Neil ignores him. Buzz sees the moonRISING UP to meet them.

BUZZ

Neil, we need to slow our -- CAPCOM (COMMS)

1201 alarm, go for landing. Same type.

As Buzz shuts off the alarm, Neil looks out the window, eyes TICKINGover the surface below... and thenNARROWING.

NEIL’S POV. The landing area is not flat. There’s a HUGE CRATER, A HUNDRED YARDS ACROSS. Surrounded byGIANT BOULDERS.

THERE’S NO CLEAR AREA FOR LANDING.

Neil makes aQUICK DECISION, PUSHES on the throttle.

We hear thePOP and HISS of the Descent Propulsion System (DPS) as the craftRUSHES FORWARD. Buzz eyes the gauges...

Neil doesn’t respond. Buzz does some quick calculations.

Buzz glances at Neil, who remains focused on the surface.

BUZZ NEIL

Did you hear -- What’s the LPD?

Buzz hesitates. Then gives Neil what he needs.

Neil eases the thruster forward. The DPSHISSES as they push over the rocky terrain. Buzz watches the PROPULSION CONSOLE.

CLOSE ONthe FUEL NUMBER. DROPPING. 12, 11, 10...

Neil doesn't say a thing. He remains focused,INTENT.

BUZZ

300 down, 47 forward... MIKE COLLINS (COMMS)

What’s going on there? You keeping an eye on your fuel?

Neil grips the throttle, eyesTICKING FURIOUSLYfrom the window to the ALTITUDE GAUGE. As the DPSHISSES...

RACK FOCUSto Buzz, UNSETTLED, staring at the propulsion console. CLOSE ON the fuel numbers. 8, 7, 6...

Neil IGNORES him. Buzz CLOCKS Neil’s intensity... and at that moment he knows. Neil's landing this ship one way or another.

UNNERVED, nothing to do but help, Buzz continues the call.

Buzz sees the fuel numbers haveDROPPEDBELOW 5.

BUZZ

160 feet, 6 down, 9 forward. MIKE COLLINS (COMMS)

Your fuel’s below low level!

Neil keeps going, even as the FUEL QUANTITY LIGHTFLASHES ON.

BUZZ

120 feet, 3 down, 9 forward, NEIL fuel is at five perc -- I understand.

There’sFIRE in Neil’s eyes, DETERMINATION, anABJECT REFUSAL TO ABORT. Jesus. Buzz TENSES.

You need to consider abort--

Neil ignores him, eases the throttle forward.

Neil eyesTICK from the gauges to the window in front of him... it’s unclear whether he’s even LISTENING anymore.

BUZZ

Neil... MIKE COLLINS (COMMS, STATIC)

...you’re almost out of fuel.

Neil remains unresponsive. The hiss isDEAFENING. Buzz looks from Neil to the FUEL GAUGE, eyes filled withANXIETY.

Buzz, disconcerted, just stares at theFLASHING FUEL GAUGE.

Position. Buzz!

Buzz blinks, refocuses. He checks their position.

DUST SWIRLS up from the lunar surface. Buzz glances at the fuel. CLOSE ON the numbers. 3, 2...FUCK. Buzz’s eyes WIDEN.

BUZZ

50 feet down... picking up MIKE COLLINS (COMMS) dust, drifting right... 10 seconds, Neil!

And then, before they realize what's happening, aGREEN LIGHT FLASHES on the console. Buzz blinks inDISBELIEF.

BUZZ

Contact light. NEIL

Shutdown.

Neil, SPENT, lets the throttle SLIP from his hands.He flips the switch. The dust starts to settle and we see...

...the LUNAR SURFACE stretching out in front of them.Neil stares, BLANK. Buzz is completely STUNNED. A beat, then Buzz recovers, starts powering down the LM.

BUZZ

Engine stop; ACA out of CAPCOM (COMMS) DETENT. ...copy you down, Eagle.

AnENORMOUS CHEER goes up in Mission Control. Neil FLINCHES. It’s VISCERAL; something about it hits him right in the gut.

Neil sits, struggling to process. Buzz extends a shaky hand.

Neil, AWKWARD, nods. PUSH IN on his eyes, deep PAIN and JOY battling within and we hear a familiarHISS...

MATCH CUT TO --

CLOSE ONNeil’s eyes. Staring ahead as he puts his helmet on.

He snaps the helmet into place then reaches for a glove.And snaps it on. Meticulous, careful... cognizant of the DANGERS of the lunar surface and the enormity of the moment.

Neil reaches for a second glove when Buzz, struggling with his PLSS in the small cabin, JOSTLES him. The force pushes Neil towards the thin wall of the LM...

...we hear a small SNAP... and just as it seems Neil might go through the wall he GRABS the ceiling and stops himself.

Neil looks to see what snapped... can’t find anything. Not entirely satisfied, he nonetheless returns to the task at hand, putting on his on PLSS and connecting the oxygen tube.

We hear a familiar HISS as Neil takes a beat, eyeing a PAD clipped to the wall, a SCRIBBLED SENTENCE. One small step...

We can’t make out all the words, but we know what it says.

Buzz is fully suited up. Neil nods and Buzz opens a valve. Through the window, we see the AIR in the LM VENTING OUT. It’s nerve-wracking, all that air disappearing into space.

A long beat... then itSTOPS.

Buzz reaches for the hatch... but it won’t budge.

BUZZ (COMMS)

Damn thing. NEIL (INTO COMMS)

Too much pressure in here.

Buzz pulls again, harder.

BUZZ (COMMS)

Shit. NEIL (INTO COMMS)

Don’t rupture it.

Buzz stops. FRUSTRATED. Then something occurs to him... He reaches up andPEELS BACK a small part of the flimsy door. We hear a slight HISS. Then the door easilyPULLS OPEN...

...revealing the gray, barren surface below.

Neil and Buzz STARE, taking in the world outside the door. In this moment, we understand how odd, howUNDENIABLY STRANGE it is to be parked on the surface of another heavenly body.

Neil lumbers forward, towards the hatch. PUSH IN on him, a bevy of emotions flickering across his face...

...a face weHOLD ON as he lowers his feet through the hatch, climbing down the ladder to...

TIGHT ONNeil, sweat on his brow as he SHIMMIES down the ladder, down towards the new world.He remains focused, eyes on the LADDER, HANDS, FEET, until he reaches the final rung.

He stares out, a million things going through his mind...

TheODDNESS of it all... the DESOLATEBEAUTY... the years of work and sacrifice... and Elliot... and Ed...

...and now he catches a glimpse of theEARTHoff on the horizon... hovering there... and the MAJESTY of it... the GLORYof what he’s done... it almostOVERWHELMS him.

Neil tries to keep it together,STRUGGLINGTHROUGH...

And now he takes that little hop downONTO THE MOON... oddly DISCONNECTED from the moment, the rote line he’s memorized...

PUSH IN on Neil, STILL STRUGGLING. The COMMS FADE and he hops forward... turning from the golden, glimmering lunar module...

...to the BEAUTIFUL BLUE PLANET hovering just above the horizon. And now he finds he’s UNABLE TO CONTROL HIMSELF...

A TEAR FALLS. A bevy of emotions rising to the surface...

Pain. Joy. Loss. Triumph. All swirling round until the tears come FREELY, raining down with all the pent up feelings. It’s the first and last such outburst we’ll ever see.

MATCH CUT TO --

Buzz lumbers across the lunar surface to Neil, who’s still staring out at the earth. The LM shimmers in the background.

The wordsRESONATE. As Neil takes it all in, we, like Neil, are humbled before theMAJESTY of space.

The last ten years flicker before us, not in flashback, but in the depths of Neil’s eyes. And for a moment, theWONDER there makes us feel like maybe, just maybe, it was all worth it.

Off the view from the mountaintop, theLOOKin Neil’s eyes...

MATCH CUT TO --

Neil’s eyes are FOCUSED, his face sweating.

PULL BACKto find Neil walking, or rather LOPING, away from the Eagle. Buzz, standing by the American Flag in the far b/g, watches...Confused.

Neil keeps moving... until he comes to the edge of aCRATER. He surveys it. Deep and vast, it’s like nothing we’ve seen.

A beat. Then Neil UNZIPS a pocket in the front of his suit. He reaches in, pulls out a few items and looks down at them.

AnAPOLLO 1 PATCH - GRISSOM WHITE CHAFFEE. ELLIOT’S SEXTANT. And finally aSMALL BRACELET. That of a little girl.

PUSH INon Neil’s eyes, on the PAIN. A beat, then Neil THROWS the three tokens far as he can...

Off Neil, watching them soar on and on and on...

Neil and Buzz stand in the LM, the hatch closed, brushing each other off. Moon dust swirls, slowly falling to the floor. At last, they take off their helmets... and startCOUGHING.

The COUGHING takes us to...

Neil preps for liftoff in his flight suit, still COUGHING.

Neil pauses. Buzz sees Neil examining the engine arm switch. It’sBROKEN. Just a small stub. Shit.

NEIL

Must’ve hit it when I got MIKE COLLINS (COMMS) out. One minute to launch.

If they can’t fix it, they can’t get off the moon.

Buzz STARES. Shit shit shit. Neil bends down, examines the stub. Buzz eyes the clock. 50 seconds...45 seconds...

Takes Buzz a moment, then he floats a PEN over to Neil.Neil grabs it, jams it beside the stub.And pulls... Nothing.

NEIL MIKE COLLINS (COMMS)

Dammit. 30 seconds.

A tense beat. Neil tries again. And again...

Fuck. Neil SHOVES the pen in deeper... andPULLS...

...until at last we hear aCLICK. The light FLASHES. ENGINE ARMED. Buzz takes a breath, his face FLOODING with relief.

Recovering, Buzz preps for launch.Neil does too, but his focus is FARAWAY, eyesLINGERING on the lunar horizon...

NeilHITS the thrusters. DUST kicks up as the shipROCKS BACK AND FORTH, lifting off the surface... casting aLONG SHADOWas it slowly rises above the moon...

HOLD ONNeil's eyes, watching the moon fall away. As we do, we hear familiar voices from a television broadcast...

PUSH INon Neil. Staring out at the moon.

Off Neil, weCUT TO --

A ship of men, watch, excited, as the Apollo Capsule parachutes down from the skies...

Neil, Buzz and Mike, covered inFULL BODY CONTAMINATION SUITS, are helped out of the floating capsule and onto a small skiff.

The men, in contamination suits, are walked across a lower deck to theQUARANTINE AIRSTREAM that awaits. The enter it.

APOLLO 11 QUARANTINE AIRSTREAM MONTAGE

The QUARANTINE AIRSTREAM is moved onto anARMY TRUCK...

FromARMY TRUCK to AIR FORCE PLANE...

FromAIR FORCE PLANE to ANOTHER AIR FORCE TRUCK...

...and at last to theMSC QUARANTINE FACILITY.

ONJANET. In back, staring out the window. As the car pulls ahead, we hear aDULL ROAR. Janet’s eyes WIDEN. REVERSE TO --

THE MSC ENTRANCE. A THRONG OF PEOPLEaround a HUGE DISPLAY of FLOWERS and SIGNS, the pride PALPABLE.Janet TEARS UP.

A FLIGHT SURGEON leads Janet down a lackluster hall.

They reach a door, an ARMY GUARD. Janet’s escort hands him papers and the guard opens the door.They walk into --

The NASA logo. And a GLASS WALL. On the other side of it, in a large room, Neil stands in a flight suit.Alone.

Janet, relieved, walks to the glass.Neil looks at her, but his eyes areFARAWAY. Impossibly distant. Janet TIGHTENS.

HOLD ON the two of them, as far apart as they’ve ever been.

CLOSE ONa SEA of MAGAZINES and NEWSPAPERS:TIME, LIFE, the NEW YORK TIMES... All with front page coverage of Apollo 11.

FIND BUZZhovering over it all, staring at a TV. MESMERIZED. Neil walks in. Glances at the TV, reporters asking people where they were when Apollo 11 landed on the moon.

Buzz shakes his head. He looks LOST. Off Neil, processing...

Three BLACK CARS parked in front of the building.Doors open and Mike, Buzz and Neil exit with duffels, MILITARY ESCORTS.

The men BREATHE IN the fresh air... then walk to the cars.

Neil sits in back, quiet, as the car pulls up to the MSC gate. The escort beside him rolls down the window, hands papers to a GUARD. He starts to wave them through... but can't resist.

Neil nods, AWKWARD. The escort rolls up the window and the driver pulls forward. A beat, then...

Neil gives the escort a tight smile, his eyesTICKINGto a NEWS VAN that starts to tail them.Off Neil, TENSE, CUT TO --

The town car turns off the main road into a suburban development. THREE NEWS VANS now follow behind.

INSIDE THE CARNeil’s ANTSY. The car turns a corner and we see... aHUGE MEDIA CIRCUS. TV trucks, reporters, fans camped out at Neil’s house. Neil’s jaw goesTIGHT as the car stops.

The escort opens the door. Neil steps out and isSWARMED... INUNDATEDwith questions, BLINDED by an ARSENAL of CAMERAS.

PUSH INon Neil as he presses through it, eyes down... until a LITTLE GIRLsteps forward. With a model rocket. Neil PAUSES.

Neil’s eyesTICK from the girl to her father. A beat, then he takes the model. The reporters QUIET. One hands him a pen.

Neil blinks at her. The WONDER in her eyes is oddlyDAUNTING. Awkward, he signs the rocket. But when he hands it back...

Neil BLANCHES. The calls grow into aROAR, TAKING US TO --

A RIVER of HUMANITY. A huge crowd gathered for the largest TICKER TAPE PARADEwe’ve ever seen. The DIN is DEAFENING

New York City - August 13, 1969

Find Neil in an OPEN-TOP CONVERTIBLE with Buzz and Mike. Neil’s eyes have DARK CIRCLES underneath; theyDART from the crowds on the streets, to the men and women hanging out of building windows, tossing down stacks of IBM punch cards...

Buzz and Mike enjoy it more than Neil, but even they seem OVERWHELMED. Off Neil, smile PLASTEREDto his face, CUT TO --

A packed ballroom. Black tie. President Nixon, forty odd Governors, Hollywood Stars and dozens of other dignitaries. A gala to end all galas. Everyone GIDDYin anticipation.

From BEHIND the empty head table, we see GOVERNOR RONALD REAGAN clink his glass into the mic at the rostrum.

As the crowd sits, we PUSH INTO --

Neil, Buzz, Mike and their wives stand, waiting to be introduced. Neil is at the back, SWEATINGnow.

Deke walks in with beers for the men.

As Mike heads off, Deke pulls Neil off to one side.

Neil stares. Realizing that he's permanently grounded.

As the crowd breaks out in applause and cheers, Neil, DEVASTATED, walks into --

As the cheers SWELL,PUSH IN on Neil, in front of the crowd, only now realizing he's made the greatest sacrifice of all.

As he nods to the crowd,NUMB, the isolation now complete...