If the ladder hadn't slipped when Chris Godfrey was chalking up the sports results - and if Sir George Benson hadn't been passing at that very moment - it might never have happened.

It had become imperative to fire a conscious human being into space and Sir George, who was Director of Research at Woomera, couldn't see how it was to be done until he met Chris. Once Chris agreed, things moved fast. Whisked to London by the R.A.F., he started his training, was fitted for a G-suit, got to know the landscape of the Moon as well as he knew the school sports ground. Then on to Woomera; and, at last, into space...