After a rocket malfunctions during a test, the Mercury 7 head home for Christmas. Shepard’s holidays are fraught, as the arrival of his parents coincides with the adoption of Louise’s niece. Gordo’s former mistress forces her way back into his life, jeopardizing his relationship with Trudy. And Glenn attempts to win over a rising political star and presidential hopeful, JFK.

On the Eve of the flight, Louise learns of Shepard’s affair in Tijuana. Trudy watches Gordo crack a joke about women astronauts on television. Glenn awaits the humiliating moment when the world will finally learn he won’t be first. Tensions reach a breaking point when Shepard and Glenn are forced together in a pressure cooker of weather delays, marital discord, and a circus of reporters.

After Shepard’s dramatic voyage to space, he feels underwhelmed and restless. Heeding Glenn’s advice, Shepard attempts to quell his ambition with gratitude for his wife and children. While Shepard’s marriage somehow remains intact, Gordo and Trudy’s may never recover. Meanwhile, when JFK publicly issues a challenge for NASA to send a man to the moon, Glenn’s drive to top Shepard is reignited.