They don’t make documentaries like these any more.

Men in silver spacesuits.  Scientists in white labcoats.  Giant rockets.  Pointing engineers.

IMPORTANT FACTS IN BOLD CAPITALS.

Bizarre soundtracks.

You can see where Gerry Anderson got his inspiration from for Thunderbirds.  Not least the fact that he named the Thunderbirds pilots after five of the Mercury 7 astronauts (bad luck Deke and Wally!).

Project Mercury (1963)

Freedom 7 (1961)