Remembering JFK's Moon Goals: 60 Years Later, NASA Still Lives by Its Aims and Aspirations

Isaiah Richard, Tech Times 08 September 2022, 01:09 am

John F. Kennedy is the first United States president that gave importance to space missions and venturing beyond the Earth's boundaries, something that is not an entirely welcome idea before. Sixty years ago, JFK addressed his goal of landing on the moon to students at Rice University in Houston, Texas, being one of the most monumental developments in the space race.

Remembering JFK's Moon Landing Goals: 60 Years Later

(Photo : Courtesy JFK Library.)
President Kennedy addresses a crowd in Rice University’s stadium reaffirming his support for America’s space program, including landing a man on the Moon.

NASA said that it is remembering a significant historical event from sixty years ago, and it is one of President John F. Kennedy's speeches that reaffirmed the then administration's Moon landing goal. On September 12, 1962, Kennedy gave a speech to Rice University which talked about the Apollo mission's future launch, something which the President previously proposed.

More than a year after President Kennedy's 1961 Moon landing mission proposal to Congress, NASA was able to construct different facilities and space centers to prepare for it. Developments made towards the space race saw a significant boost during this time, all waiting for the historical event in July 1969 when Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins fulfilled the goals for Apollo.

NASA and JFK Worked Hard to Make Apollo Possible

Apollo would not be possible if it were not for NASA and JFK's efforts to push for its importance, especially as the then space race rival, the Soviet Union, was seeing significant advancements in its ventures. The efforts by the space agency and the previous United States President helped in modernizing the missions and focusing on the great beyond.

NASA's Moon Mission 60 Years Later

There are massive developments already in place for the Artemis moon mission that would take place this year for its uncrewed launch that would test the spacecraft for its future ventures. The NASA mission would bring the first female astronaut to the Moon for the first time, and it would bring back its regular trips to the lunar surface, which the agency left behind 50 years ago.

Instead of seeing the SLS and Orion rockets flying to the Moon and launching last week, NASA had to cancel the mission due to the booster's fuel line problems that may result in unforeseen circumstances. The next timeline for the Artemis mission would be by October, and this time, NASA hopes that it would be able to proceed with the launch.

Kennedy's speech to students, astronomers, academe, and others present during the 1962 event were able to witness history and experience a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that is now remembered throughout the world. It marked a monumental occasion where the United States aimed to push forth with its plans to launch towards the natural satellite.

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Written by Isaiah Richard