. >> the apollo 1 crew of gus grissom, ed white and roger chaffee, they were in the final preparations a fire broke out in their capsule. >> all three astronauts are killed. >> that had a profound effect on reverend stout. >> carol mersh has written a book about stout's biblical quest called "the apostles of apollo." >> and stout decided to form what's called the apollo prayer league. >> the league, created under the auspices of a presbyterian church in nearby pasadena, texas, has a simple goal. >> their mission would be to pray for the astronauts and the skill of the mission control employees who built the rockets they would fly. >> in the beginning, god created the heaven and the earth. >> membership swells after the apollo 8 mission when astronauts read from the book of genesis while making the first circle around the moon on christmas eve, 1968. in its heyday, how many people belonged to the apollo prayer league? >> there was 40,000 members. it was worldwide. >> it's one small step for man... >> apollo 11 -- man walks on the moon. >> ...one giant leap for mankind. >> but reverend s