In 1961, American President John F. Kennedy promised the world that before the end of the decade, he would have humans on the moon.
“…achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon, and returning him safely to the Earth.” – John F. Kennedy
This promise should be seen in the context of the Cold War. At that time, America and the Soviet Union were engaged in a race. A space race. Who will be the leader in the field of technology?
In 1969, both Apollo 11 and Apollo 12 missions were successful. Astronauts did not only step on the moon but also safely returned to Earth. Kennedy’s promise was fulfilled.
But it had a side effect: right after it, the people’s and government’s interest in spending money on space decreased drastically. It’s obvious that people were excited to see a man step on the moon for the first time. But people cannot be so excited for the second, third, and fourth time.
