Apollo Program History

Amidst the shortcoming of the Cold War, the goal of the 1960’s was “to go above and beyond” in space exploration by successfully landing a man on the moon, which would serve as a gambit to conceivably lead the United States to victory. Before astronauts ventured beyond the earth, scientists had to assess the space environment and the hazards of human exploration. Soon after President John F. Kennedy assumed office in January of 1961, the space race was undoubtedly underway, and the United State’s primary focus was landing a man on the moon--hence, the Apollo Program. These Apollo Missions are significant in that America received technical credibility and hasted the end of the Cold War in our favor. Also, Carole Stott, a long-time astronomer
His famous words, “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind!” were heard by over half a billion people and ultimately left a significant mark on the world, even today. Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins were the other two on the Apollo 11 mission with Armstrong. Aldrin was the Lunar Module Pilot, and Collins was the Command Module Pilot. Armstrong and Aldrin planted an American Flag on the moon, collected rocks, took photos, and received a phone call from President Richard Nixon (Rinard 84). Collins never actually touched foot on the moon; however, he separated Columbia, the command module unit, from the Eagle, the lunar module unit (84). Be that as it may, it was President John F. Kennedy’s commitment to the idea that America would advance further than the Soviets in the space race by putting humans on the moon that reclaimed the Apollo Program’s destiny. Kennedy understood the more broad allure of manned spaceflight, and the positive transformation it would have on the U.S. if it was carried out correctly. As his Vice President and successor, Lyndon B. Johnson was a strong believer in the importance of space and its contribution to America’s image in the world just as John F. Kennedy believed (Compton 64). Even before JFK and Johnson, President Dwight D. Eisenhower pushed the program into motion when he signed the National Aeronautics and Space Act in 1958, which granted permission to provide research into flight within and outside the atmosphere. President Richard Nixon was in office at the time of the first manned lunar landing on July 20, 1969 at 10:56 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time when Neil Armstrong descended from the Eagle and set foot on the moon’s surface, actualizing JFK’s