Character Relationship Map: When We Left Earth

Characters

• Narrator (played by Gary Sinise) — protagonist
• Himself (played by Gene Kranz) — supporting
• Himself (played by Jim Lovell) — supporting
• Himself (played by Neil Armstrong) — supporting
• Himself (played by Buzz Aldrin) — supporting
• Himself (played by Fred Haise) — supporting

Story Analysis

The documentary traces America's early crewed spaceflight effort from experimental aircraft and Project Mercury toward orbital missions and further exploration.

Plot Progression

1. From High Altitude to Mercury — The X-15 demonstrates high-altitude flight but cannot reach orbit. The first Soviet satellite intensifies competition, and NASA establishes Project Mercury amid technical uncertainty.
2. Testing Human Spaceflight — A chimpanzee test mission provides evidence that a living passenger can function in space. The first American crewed mission follows a Soviet orbital milestone and completes a short suborbital flight...
3. Aiming for the Moon — After the early crewed flights, the president sets the goal of landing a person on the Moon and returning them safely before the decade ends. NASA conducts another suborbital mission and turns toward...
4. The Orbital Test — An astronaut launches aboard a Mercury capsule on an Atlas rocket, with NASA tracking the mission around the world. During reentry, lost radio contact and a warning about the heat shield create seriou...
5. A New Phase Begins — The heat shield is found secure, and a faulty microswitch explains the warning. The successful orbital flight helps the United States catch up to the Soviet Union, while NASA prepares for scientific i...