On May 25, 1961, President John F. Kennedy announced his goal of putting a man on the moon by the end of the decade. In this engrossing epic, the author of Rightful Heritage re-creates one of the most ambitious achievements in the history of humankind. Douglas Brinkley brings together the extraordinary political, cultural, and scientific factors that fueled the birth and development of NASA and the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo projects, which led America to victory in the space race at the height of the Cold War. Illustrated with black and white photographs, this history's ensemble cast includes rocketeer Wernher von Braun, astronaut John Glenn, and space booster Lyndon Johnson.