Things seemed different in the spring of 61.

Bright... hopeful.., exciting. A new man was

in the White House, epitomizing youth and vital-

ity. Breathtaking technology was opening a new

frontier - man was entering the space age.

A CIA agent in Moscow informs Washington

that the Russians will launch a manned space

vehicle in the spring. NASA Director Jim Maga-

dini had come to accept the fact that the United

States would lose the heated competition to put

the first man into space. February 8th - a late-

night summons to the Oval Office convinces

Magadini that the United States must win the

space race. Project Frontier is conceived, but

must be kept quiet until and unless it is deter-

mined to be successful. Only a few top officials

and technicians will be involved in NASAs ill-

prepared first manned launch.

"Mission Controller Joe Ziegler has nine men

from whom to choose the crewman: Shepard,

Cooper, Slayton, Schirra, Carpenter, Simons,

Herriman, Grissom, Glenn. Is he selecting an

astronaut for a launch that will make him a

national hero? Or for a suicide mission?

Michael Anasara s explosive and factual novel

focuses on the weeks building up to the historic

first manned space flight: the pressures and

doubts, the political machinations, the interna-

tional intrigue, the men and women - scientists,

administrators, astronauts and their families -

caught up in the program to shoot for the

unknown.