Apollo 8 / Sandler, Martin W

"OCTOBER 1957. The USSR, rival of the United States in the so-called Cold War, launches the first artificial satellite into Earth's orbit: Sputnik 1. APRIL 1961. The USSR beats the United States to another milestone when it launches the first human into space on Vostok 1. AUGUST 1968. The United States has a mission planned for the end of the year. Its name: Apollo 8. Its goal: to enter into Earth orbit and test a lunar landing module for use on later missions. But with four months to go, the lunar landing module is behind schedule and the CIA has discovered that the USSR is preparing to send a mission around the moon before America -- a third crucial victory in the space race. It's time for a change of plan: instead of Earth orbit, the next American mission will go all the way to the moon. DECEMBER 1968. The mission that changed everything: Apollo 8."--.

In 1968, America was desperate to catch up to the Soviets in the Space Race. NASA's answer: the groundbreaking Apollo 8 Mission.