Skip to main content
Back to Show
American Experience

A Ring-Side View of the Heavens | Space Men

Radioing he had "a ring-side view of the heavens" Air Force officer David G. Simons made history in 1957 high aboard his Manhigh II balloon. He rose 101,500 feet above Earth, writing later he could barely comprehend the beauty of the sky. He was celebrated by The New York Times as "The First Space Man."

Support Provided By
Season
Chasing the Moon, Part 1
1:53:03
“Chasing the Moon,” a film by Robert Stone.
The Eugenics Crusade
1:53:12
The Eugenics Crusade tells the story of the campaign to breed a “better” American race,
The Gilded Age
1:52:46
The Gilded Age: Full Film
The Boys of '36
52:55
The story of nine young men from Washington who captured gold at the 1936 Olympic Games.
The Perfect Crime
52:03
After attempting to commit the perfect crime, would two boys get the death penalty?
Bonnie & Clyde
52:41
Discover the true story of the most famous outlaw couple in U.S. history -- Bonnie & Clyde
Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid
52:42
Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid took a smart and methodical approach to robbery.
JFK, Part 2
1:52:42
Night 2 of "JFK," a biography of one of our most popular and most mourned leaders.
JFK, Part 1
1:52:43
“JFK” presents a fresh look at the life and legacy of America’s 35th president.
Billy the Kid
52:41
A fascinating look at the myth and the man behind it.
My Lai
Unlock with PBS Passport
52:21
The 1968 My Lai massacre and its subsequent cover-up.
The Polio Crusade
52:01
In the 1950's a Polio outbreak swept the U.S., devastating communities nationwide.
Active loading indicator