Sex on the Moon by Ben Mezrich Page A

to win, right?” Thad continued, finally rolling onto his back. He cupped his hands behind his head. He could feel the hard, smooth granite beneath his fingers, but the pressure didn’t bother him. The rock was even warmer than the southern Texas air, and it felt almost therapeutic against his skin.
    As usual, the weekend excursion had been Thad’s idea, and he had organized everything, from the rental cars that they’d used for the three-hour trip from Houston to the purchase of the camping provisions and sleeping bags they would need for the forty-eight hours in the wilderness. Well, “wilderness” was a bit of an exaggeration; Austin State Park—specifically the Enchanted Rock Nature Area—was a well-traveled camping and hiking park. From the four-mile loop that encircled the granite rock formations that gave the park its name to the numerous caves, natural streams, picnic areas, and even playgrounds that dotted the well-preserved landmark, the place was really an outdoor amusement park for camping novices. Heck, there were even showers and restrooms.
    But there was also the great granite dome, where Thad and his small group were camped. Rising almost one hundred feet over the park, it was an upside-down bowl of rock, sheer in some places, jutting and rough in others. What was really cool about the dome was the steep slope toward the summit; the traction was so phenomenal you could practically walk straight up it, your boots crunching against crystal as you went. And when you reached the top—the view seemed to go on forever.
    Although the stars were just starting to come out, Thad already felt like he was watching the beginning of a fireworks display. The moon was so bright it was overwhelming the butane lanterns, and Thad was having no trouble reading the constellations without even shifting the position of his head. He had spent many nights like this back in Utah, at the observatory that was his home away from home. But here, in the wilderness of the state park, on the top of a granite mountain—it was the kind of place that turned even cynics into romantics.
    It wasn’t exactly legal to be camping right there on the top of the dome. There were signs all over the park warning against it, but Thad had felt an obligation to his little crew of co-ops and interns. They were his charges, and he was their social director. A stupid park ranger’s whimsical rules shouldn’t be allowed to keep the nation’s finest budding scientists away from a view like this.
    “You have to admit, it’s worth the price of admission.”
    Again, the girl just smiled. She was cute, in a very young, almost Disney cartoon way—like the pretty little mouse that would break into song at any moment. It was easy to see that she was incredibly shy, still trying to figure out the world around her. Sweet, innocent, eighteen years old, she was an intern—which meant she was probably a college freshman, lucky enough to be spending time at NASA. That she had even signed up for the camping excursion was impressive. In a social setting like this, she was completely out of her element.
    “I wonder how many of us will ever have a chance to go up there,” Thad continued, pointing lazily at the canopy of stars. “I guess that’s why we’re all at NASA, but most of us will go on to do other things.”
    Thad could tell that the girl was finally working up the nerve to say something in response. He waited, trying to make it easy for her.
    “If anyone can make it,” she finally said, and even her voice was mouselike, “I think it will be you. But I kind of hope it will be me.”
    Thad grinned. She had some edge to her, after all. For an engineering major.
    “Even the first Apollo capsules had room for two,” he joked back.
    “But only one of them got to be the pilot.”
    “The pilot? That’s the chickenshit position. It’s the other guy who steps outside the capsule door. Who got to hit golf balls on the moon. It’s the other guy who’s