With interest in NASA and their space program dwindling, ad executive Kelly Jones (Scarlett Johansson) is brought in to fix NASA's public image in advance of the Apollo 11 moon landing and get the American people excited about the upcoming launch.

Launch director Cole Davis (Channing Tatum), a brilliant pilot who could have been an astronaut himself, has an already difficult task. He's consumed by the tragedy of Apollo 1, in which three astronauts were killed. He wants nothing to do with Kelly and her publicity shenanigans.

When the White House deems the mission too important to fail, Kelly is directed to stage a fake moon landing as back-up and the countdown truly begins.