The Apollo program was funded by Congress. The $20 billion budget forecast
was merely hypothetical, as no one could predict what it would take to accomplish
such a feat. In a 1964 interview recorded by NASA, Edward Welsh said:
Everyone was fearing that the Soviets would expand their influence all over
the world and beyond it, even conquering the Moon. 100 days had not yet
passed from the election, and it was necessary to show a clear sign of change
and dynamism. Most of the decisions at the Congress were taken in disagreement with the republicans, but this one was taken unanimously. Going
to the Moon was motivated by the Russians’ spaceflight achievements.
29
But there was another unspoken reason – unknown to the public opinion but
largely anticipated by the political and military establishment – that propelled
America towards the Moon: the Apollo program was an effective way to engage
universities, research centres and the entire aerospace industry in building missiles
and spaceships. This would push America through a rapid series of unthinkable
technological and economic spin-offs.
The Soviets secretly planned for a Moon landing, but their efforts faltered after
cosmonaut Vladimir Komarov horribly died in his Soyuz capsule while returning
to Earth after a dramatic spaceflight. Komarov faced several spaceship faults while
in orbit. After the sudden decision to re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere, he lost his
life due to a failure of the thermal shield. This tragedy was followed by a dramatic
explosion at the Baikonur launch pad of the huge N-1 Moon rocket, which killed
several Russian engineers working at the site.
NASA encountered some harsh moments too. In 1965, three astronauts died
during a rehearsal test at the launch pad, after which the entire Apollo capsule
design was forced to undergo a deep technical change.
In four years, NASA and its contractors built the launcher, the capsule and the
lander, and successfully tested them around the Earth and the Moon before launching the definitive mission: Apollo 11. On July 16, 1969, the entire nation watched
the giant Saturn V take off with astronauts Armstrong, Aldrin and Collins onboard.
Three days later, 600 million people worldwide followed the first live moonwalk.
That extraordinary human undertaking inspired many to think that the Moon and
the planets could be the future home for humankind.
However, just after hanging up the phone with the two astronauts on the Moon,
President Nixon signed off on a reduction of the Apollo program, reducing the
planned 50 missions to only seven in four years.
30
After the first moon landing, the
US had gained back its prestige and won the Space Race against Russia, but the
need for a lunar base had definitely faded away. Regrettably, public interest in
29
https://www.jfklibrary.org/sites/default/files/archives/JFKOH/Welsh%2C%20Edward%20C/
JFKOH-ECW-01/JFKOH-ECW-01-TR.pdf.
30
idem
The Space Race: Moondust 21
was merely hypothetical, as no one could predict what it would take to accomplish
such a feat. In a 1964 interview recorded by NASA, Edward Welsh said:
Everyone was fearing that the Soviets would expand their influence all over
the world and beyond it, even conquering the Moon. 100 days had not yet
passed from the election, and it was necessary to show a clear sign of change
and dynamism. Most of the decisions at the Congress were taken in disagreement with the republicans, but this one was taken unanimously. Going
to the Moon was motivated by the Russians’ spaceflight achievements.
29
But there was another unspoken reason – unknown to the public opinion but
largely anticipated by the political and military establishment – that propelled
America towards the Moon: the Apollo program was an effective way to engage
universities, research centres and the entire aerospace industry in building missiles
and spaceships. This would push America through a rapid series of unthinkable
technological and economic spin-offs.
The Soviets secretly planned for a Moon landing, but their efforts faltered after
cosmonaut Vladimir Komarov horribly died in his Soyuz capsule while returning
to Earth after a dramatic spaceflight. Komarov faced several spaceship faults while
in orbit. After the sudden decision to re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere, he lost his
life due to a failure of the thermal shield. This tragedy was followed by a dramatic
explosion at the Baikonur launch pad of the huge N-1 Moon rocket, which killed
several Russian engineers working at the site.
NASA encountered some harsh moments too. In 1965, three astronauts died
during a rehearsal test at the launch pad, after which the entire Apollo capsule
design was forced to undergo a deep technical change.
In four years, NASA and its contractors built the launcher, the capsule and the
lander, and successfully tested them around the Earth and the Moon before launching the definitive mission: Apollo 11. On July 16, 1969, the entire nation watched
the giant Saturn V take off with astronauts Armstrong, Aldrin and Collins onboard.
Three days later, 600 million people worldwide followed the first live moonwalk.
That extraordinary human undertaking inspired many to think that the Moon and
the planets could be the future home for humankind.
However, just after hanging up the phone with the two astronauts on the Moon,
President Nixon signed off on a reduction of the Apollo program, reducing the
planned 50 missions to only seven in four years.
30
After the first moon landing, the
US had gained back its prestige and won the Space Race against Russia, but the
need for a lunar base had definitely faded away. Regrettably, public interest in
29
https://www.jfklibrary.org/sites/default/files/archives/JFKOH/Welsh%2C%20Edward%20C/
JFKOH-ECW-01/JFKOH-ECW-01-TR.pdf.
30
idem
The Space Race: Moondust 21