From the Earth to the Moon by Jules Verne

From the Earth to the Moon was written by Jules Verne in 1865.  It follows the story of the Gun Club and the projectile it sends to the moon.  The projectile does not turn out as anyone expected.

The story begins a few years after the Civil War.  The members of the Gun Club are bored and wishing for some action, even if it means a war beginning.  The leader of the Gun Club, Impey Barbicane, presents the idea of sending a projectile to land on the moon.  As everyone heartily agrees to the idea, the next few meetings are spent figuring the costs and supplies of this venture, from the metal to be used for the projectile to the location of the cannon and telescope for observing the projectile once it is in space.

Everyone thinks the projectile is a fabulous idea.  Everyone, that is, except Captain Nicholl, Barbicane's chief adversary.  During the war, Barbicane's shots frequently tore right through Nicholl's plates of armor.  Captain Nicholl places five separate bets based on the failure of the project.  He is infuriated further when Michel Ardan offers to ride the projectile to the moon provided there are modifications made to it.

Just a few days before the projectile is to be launched, Captain Nicholl challenges Barbicane to a duel in the forest at dawn the next day.  the end result of the duel is that Barbicane and Nicholl become friends and decide to ride in the projectile with Michel Ardan.

The projectile is ready, the canon is cast, the passengers have entered the rocket.  The next step is to very carefully lower the projectile into the cannon that is ready to be fired.  And now the rocket is off!  People watch and wait anxiously to know if the Gun Club's idea is going to work.  When the projectile begins orbiting the moon, everyone except one of Barbicane's closest friends gives them up for lost.