In 1969, Apollo 11 landed on the moon . . . didn't they?

After China announce a space mission to place their own flag next to the one US astronauts planted during the Apollo 11 mission, few people bat an eyelid. Shortly after this statement Charlie Stephens, a 74-year-old former filmmaker, is murdered. The incident is made to look like an accident, but why?

Going through his father's effects, Gary Stephens discovers reels of 35mm celluloid showing the Apollo mission was faked - there's no US flag on the moon, and only a handful of people know it.

For his own safety Gary is brought into Mission Dark Side, a government-sanctioned cover-up to send a crew to the moon to plant the flag before the Chinese reach it . . . but there are those out to sabotage the mission and cause the US a national embarrassment.