Human beings have always looked spaceward with wonder, envisioning travels that embarked upon the final frontier. While notions of traveling to "outer space" were the stuff of science fiction at the beginning of the twentieth century, a dizzying rate of scientific advances saw these dreams become reality by mid-century. Shooting for the Moon tells the fascinating story of the NASA space program, focusing on the ambitious Apollo program and how humans took their first steps off of planet Earth. While it was an unprecedented growth in technological capabilities that made space travel possible, the real stars in the story of spaceflight were the people themselves. Bob Berman introduces us to these space pioneers: to the celebrated "Original Seven" of the Mercury program; to Wally Schirra, the rebel astronaut who bucked mission control; to Frank Borman, commander of the pivotal Apollo 8 mission; and to many others. He takes us into the cockpit during the fatal moments of the "Apollo 1" disaster; recounts the unspoken rivalry between Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, the first two men to walk on the moon; and reveals how White House politics have shaped the space program throughout the years. As the United States looks ahead once again to further missions into space, Shooting for the Moon provides an essential look at the daring history of human spaceflight.