JFK's Enduring Legacy: The Moon Shot

Dr. Wernher von Braun, the NASA director of the Marshall Space Flight Center, and President Kennedy at Cape Canaveral, FL. 1963.

NASA

For roughly half of the twentieth century, the United States and Soviet Union were rivals in what was known as the Cold War. Nearly everything became a competition for the two nations, including achievements in space exploration.

Early on, the Soviet Union made great progress in space. “Sputnik”, the first artificial satellite, was launched in 1957. Four years later, Yuri Gagarin, a Soviet pilot and cosmonaut, became the first human to travel into outer space.

In the early 1960s, it appeared that the United States was falling behind in the Space Race. When John F. Kennedy became president in 1961, he wanted to improve America’s chances of winning it.

 

President Kennedy and astronaut John Glenn Jr. look inside space capsule Friendship 7. 1962.

JFK Library, ST-A13-60-62

President Kennedy urged Congress to increase funding for space projects and promised that by the end of the decade, the United States would be first to land one of its citizens on the moon. He later gave an empassioned speech at Rice University, explaining why this goal was so very important. Going to the moon was a bold idea and came to be known as the “Moon Shot.” The term “Moon Shot” then became commonly used for any really big idea that seemed near impossible to achieve.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) worked hard to make President Kennedy’s Moon Shot a reality. In 1961, astronaut Alan Shepard Jr. became the first American to travel into space. The following year, astronaut John Glenn Jr. orbited the earth. These were major accomplishments in the quest for the moon, and others would follow.

 

Astronaut Neil Armstrong stands on the moon. July 20, 1969.

NASA

On July 20, 1969, the unthinkable happened: American astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins reached the moon! Armstrong descended from the Apollo 11 Lunar Module “Eagle” and became the first human to set foot on the moon’s surface. As millions of people worldwide watched on their television sets, he declared “That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.”

President Kennedy did not live to see his dream fulfilled. However, he will be forever remembered for his contributions to the Space Race and for challenging Americans to “think big.” As we celebrate this spectacular national achievement, consider:

What is your own personal “Moon Shot?”

 

Challenge Yourself!

See if you can find all of the words in the puzzle. If you right click on the image and save to your computer, you can print the page from home. Enjoy!

 

Space race word search created by NPS staff.

NPS