Less than two weeks after ABC gave a traditional pilot order to the drama project, the network has opted to pick up period piece, The Astronaut Wives Club, for a 10-episode season - scheduled to premiere this summer alongside the second season of Mistresses.
Set in the 1960's, The Astronaut Wives Club tells the real story of the women who stood beside some of the biggest heroes in American history during the height of the space race. The series is based on Lily Koppel's best-selling novel that was published last summer.
Stephanie Savage penned the pilot script - her first since co-creating The CW's Gossip Girl. She will executive produce the ABC Studios series through her Fake Empire production banner with Josh Schwartz and Len Goldstein. Groundswell's Michael London will also executive produce.
The Astronaut Wives Club becomes ABC's third drama this season to get a straight-to-series order - following Secrets & Lies, which recently just landed Ryan Phillippe for the starring role, and an untitled drama from David O. Russell.
Casting had already started on the prospective project when the series order was announce, although no talent has yet to be signed to the series. The 10-episode pickup will likely help ABC lure top talent to the series during this increasingly competitive development season.
