The talented men (and later women) who worked in mission control at what is now Johnson Space Center occupied a room located on the third floor of Building 30, a room that at first glance looked like just another auditorium in just another government building but would eventually become known by many as "the Cathedral." These members of the space program were the brightest of their generation, making split-second decisions that determined the success or failure of a mission. The flight controllers, each supported by a staff of specialists, were the most visible part of the...