The Great Shot Across the Bow

May 25, 1961. Washington D.C. JFK speaks to Congress.

"I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the earth. No single space project in this period will be more impressive to mankind, or more important for the long-range exploration of space; and none will be so difficult or expensive to accomplish."

The "space race" had already been on the track since the 1957 launch of Sputnik, and Yuri Gagarin had already been in space. But, Kennedy's call for the moon mission forced the Russian and American space programs to amp up and build the necessary infrastructure to conquer space.

Amazing, to think that we went from first manned space-launch to landing on the moon within a decade.

And now NASA plans to be back on the moon by 2020, maybe, if they can get the funding.

What a waste.

NASA The Decision to Go to the Moon