Chapter 13, "The Operational Stuff" Summary

The push for a moon landing will require bigger headquarters, so NASA moves most of its operation to Huston and on July 4, 1962, the astronauts arrive. What had been billed as a little motorcade followed by a cocktail party acquires the qualities of a hallucination. Thousands of silent people line the sidewalks, four deep. For an hour the astronauts and their families smile and wave to the silent throngs. Then their cars return to the Houston Coliseum, which is full of noise, people and entire cows being barbequed indoors. After speeches and barbeque, the aged Sally Rand appears on stage to do her fan dance.

But the goodies do continue to pour in. An offer to give all of the astronauts houses causes such a scandal that their Life deal is nearly cancelled as well, but...