Factual error: In at least two places in the film an IBM Selectric is used. They are: (a) A room at the beginning of the movie where typewriters are shown; (b) Near the end when Katherine Johnson (Taraji P. Henson) is typing up her report. The Selectric was introduced on July 31, 1961 (the year most of the movie takes place). It is impossible for it to have been used during the first scene as that takes place prior to Shephard's flight, which was on May 5, 1961. Glenn's flight in Friendship 7 took place on February 2, 1962. So the Selectric may have been used by Johnson at that time, but it is extremely unlikely. IBM had expected to sell 20,000 in the first 6 months and had orders (not deliveries) for 80,000 of them by the end of 1961. They were rare. NASA would not have gotten one, as law offices and similar business were IBM's bread and butter.
Continuity mistake: When John Glenn is attempting re entry, Dorothy Vaughn is driving out to the beach/country and she stops the car near a barn where there is a dark and creamy two tone car parked. The scene cuts straight back to the city to see the other girls watching re entry and the exact same two tone car is parked on the side of the road.
Factual error: When Colonel Jackson comes to town to organize a National Guard unit, he is wearing the Army Green military uniform. It only has the branch insignia (infantry) and the US lapel. It has no name tag, no shoulder insignia showing what unit he was assigned to, no shoulder unit crests and no award ribbons. A person with that rank must have been in the Armed Forces at least 16-18 years and no ribbons?
Factual error: The IBM arrives on several pallets with the parts on the pallet fixed with stretch foil. This foil became common in packaging at least ten years later. In the 60s sensible equipment was crated and one should have seen huge wooden boxes.
Factual error: During Glenn's reentry scene in Feb. 1962, a police car is passing. It is a 1964 model.
Factual error: They show a clip of JFK's Rice University speech on Sept. 12, 1962. Shortly afterwards, Paul Stafford makes a statement that JFK has ensured their job security by proposing to go to the moon. They should have shown the clip from his speech to Congress on May 12, 1961 when he actually first made the proposal to go to the moon. By the time of the Rice speech, two orbital flights had already taken place. In the movie, the first orbital flight (Glenn) doesn't happen until after the Rice speech.
Factual error: When the man takes a picture at the party, he holds the camera up to his face like a modern camera. The old style camera he is using would require you to hold it down at waist level and look down into the viewfinder.
Suggested correction: He doesn't hold the camera right up to his face. It is in front of and below his face. You didn't need to hold these cameras right down at waist level. His viewing angle is fine.
Visible crew/equipment: When the rocket is about to launch, Dorothy drives to a field. After she exits the car the camera crane is reflected on the door.
Continuity mistake: After Katherine grabs the book with Euler's Method she writes a formula on the board and puts a circle around it. The circle changes shape between shots.
Factual error: When John Glenn is in the van being transported to the launch pad, the van is being escorted by a police vehicle with Virginia markings. (The launch pad is in Florida).
Continuity mistake: When Katherine is putting her 3 children to bed the child to the left has the blanket down to her chest when Katherine is shot from behind. When she is shot from the front the blanket has moved to cover the girl's shoulder. This repeats at least three times in the scene.
Continuity mistake: In the scene in the briefing room, some of the calculations on the blackboard change writing styles between shots, such as brackets moving closer to numbers.
Continuity mistake: In the last scene in which Vivian gives Dorothy an assignment, her lanyard is at first hanging neatly from her neck. The camera goes back and forth between her and Dorothy, and when you last see Vivian, the ball chain for the lanyard is no longer hanging neatly; it is pulled to the side because it's caught on her jacket lapel.
