大象传媒

The gruelling training faced by the American women who almost made it to space. This pushed them physically and mentally to new limits, and their regime included drinking radio-active water, swallowing rubber hose and having their middle ears subjected to frozen water.

Originally broadcast 13 August, 1997.

Image: During training for NASA's Mercury space program, a group of American astronaut learn coordination of movement and balance in the weightless environment of a transport plane flying in a parabolic arc, 1960s. (Photo Credit: H. Allen/Getty Images)