title: Apollo 8: The Thrilling Story of the First Mission to the Moon
author:  Jeffrey Kluger 
description: <b>Jeffrey Kluger</b> is the author of several books, including <i>Apollo 13</i> (originally published as <i>Lost Moon</i>) and <i>The Sibling Effect</i>. As a science editor and senior writer for <i>Time</i> for more than two decades, he has written more than forty cover stories for the magazine. He lives in New York City.
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  ![Front Image1](../Images/00001.jpg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![Front Image2](../Images/00002.jpg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![Front Image3](../Images/00003.jpg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 1: Moon Base
  
  
  
  
  
  “Are you all sure you’ve got everything you’ll need?” Mom asked me and my
  usual group of friends.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Who cares about that? I’m dying here in these hot clothes,_ I wanted to
  gripe. _Why couldn’t I stay behind with Kon?_
  
  
  
  
  
  “Okay,” she said. “Let’s head for the moon! Everyone, get on the shuttle.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Mom sounded so casual about it. You’d think we were heading to a convenience
  store as she gestured toward the entrance of the moon exploration shuttle.
  
  
  
  
  
  I took a good look at the shuttle as I tried to remember how I ended up having
  to put on this spacesuit and climb into a space shuttle.
  
  
  
  
  
  **
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ## Kouki Arakawa’s Point of View
  
  
  
  
  
  Around the time the girls got out of the hot spring, I was preparing a
  barbecue in front of the entrance to 