At 7:51 am on December 21, 1968, Apollo VIII launched from Cape Kennedy FL as Frank Borman, James Lovell and William Anders became the first humans to orbit the moon. This flight was broadcast in fifteen languages throughout fifty-four countries. On Christmas Eve, in a live broadcast, the crew read from the Book of Genesis with Commander Borman finishing with: "And from the crew ofApollo 8, we close with good night, good luck, a Merry Christmas and God bless all of you--all of you on the good Earth." One in every four people on earth was tuned in for that broadcast. In July of 1969, when Neil Armstrong stepped into the gray powder of the moon's surface it was 2978 days, 10 hours and 26 minutes after JFK stood before a joint session of Congress saying, "I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to earth." Mission accomplished Mr. President! Herein is the story of JFK'S passion for the space program and his relationship with the men of Mercury, who laid the foundation of America's quest for the moon.