60 years later, his words inspire a new generation
From words came actions
and reactions
President Kennedy chose the Moon “to serve and organize the best of our energy and skills.” In doing so, he forced the nation to confront immeasurable industrial and social challenges—the impact of which echoes to this very day.
Choose a topic to explore the impact.
Space Exploration
But why, some say, the Moon?
We choose to go to the Moon
But why, some say, the Moon?
We choose to go to the Moon
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“But why, some say, the Moon? Why choose this as our goal? …We choose to go to the Moon…not because they are easy, but because they are hard.”
1962
NASA creates a launch operations center on Merritt Island, Florida, to accommodate the 363-foot-tall Saturn V rocket.
1962, con't.
This enormous platform was a direct answer to Kennedy’s Moonshot challenge and was named in his honor: the John F. Kennedy Space Center.
1969
Meeting the late President Kennedy’s goal, NASA launches Apollo 11 and lands people on the Moon for the first time.
1990
NASA launches the Hubble Space Telescope. Processed at the president’s namesake John F. Kennedy Space Center, the telescope has been an enormously useful and ever-inspiring tool in enhancing our understanding of the birth and death of stars, proving black holes exist, and much more.
2017
The Artemis program is created with the goal of establishing a sustainable presence on the Moon. The first crewed mission is planned to arrive in the south pole region of the Moon by 2024.
2021
The James Webb Space Telescope goes online for the first time. Its breathtaking images allow the world to see the most distant galaxies at a level of detail that has never been seen before.
2021, con't.
In the near future, this telescope could even aid in the search for life outside of our solar system by determining the chemical composition of planets that are light-years away from Earth.
Today
It's never been a more exciting time for space travel and exploration. The James Webb Space Telescope, now fully operational, continues to amaze and surprise scientists with images that challenge and redefine our understanding of the early Universe. And soon, with the launch of the first Artemis test mission, the Moon could be within our reach once again.
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Science & Education
The growth of our science and education
will be enriched by new knowledge of our universe
The growth of our science and education
will be enriched by new knowledge of our universe
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“The growth of our science and education will be enriched by new knowledge of our universe and environment, by new techniques of learning and mapping and observation, by new tools and computers for industry, medicine, the home as well as the school.”
1961
Rice University donates 1,000 acres to NASA to build the seat of its astronaut program, the famed facility now known as Johnson Space Center.
1976
NASA publishes the first issue of Spinoff. This magazine, which still exists today, promotes scientific advancements that started with NASA and then made their way into civilian and business applications.
1990
Portions of NASA's space shuttle mission-control software—developed by engineers Ella and Alex Herz along with programmer Doug George—are repurposed for weather forecasting, to help the world better understand changing weather patterns.
1990, con't.
Today, the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) uses this powerful software to manage its network of weather satellites.
2009
President Obama begins a nationwide effort to help improve American students’ science education in his “Educate to Innovate” campaign.
Today
Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education were grouped under the term STEM in 2001 by the National Science Foundation. STEM leads the way in authentic, applied-learning practices. Equipping students with the real-world skills they need to succeed, many programs supplement classroom learning with community service and internships.
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Pursuit of Peace
There is no strife, no prejudice
no national conflict in outer space as yet
There is no strife, no prejudice
no national conflict in outer space as yet
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“There is no strife, no prejudice, no national conflict in outer space as yet. Its hazards are hostile to us all. Its conquest deserves the best of all mankind, and its opportunity for peaceful cooperation may never come again.”
1972
President Richard Nixon and Soviet Premier Alexei N. Kosygin sign an agreement of space corporation, a part of which includes the creation of a common, standardized docking system.
1975
As the first international space mission, the Apollo–Soyuz crew was a joint venture between the United States and the Soviet Union. The famous handshake in space was seen as a symbol between the two superpowers.
1988
NASA joins together with the European Space Agency (ESA), the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), and Canada to participate in an ambitious orbital facility project called “Space Station Freedom.”
1990
Voyager 1 captures the famous “Pale Blue Dot” photo 3.7 billion miles from Earth. (Image was processed by JPL engineer and image processing enthusiast Kevin M. Gill with input from two of the image's original planners, Candy Hansen and William Kosmann.)
1990, con't.
At the time, astronomer Carl Sagan reflects on the significance, noting, “It underscores our responsibility to deal more kindly with one another, and to preserve and cherish the pale blue dot, the only home we’ve ever known.”
1993
The United States announces plans to become part of a collaborative, orbiting laboratory, observatory, and educational structure.
1993, con't.
This project would later be called the International Space Station.
Today
Today, the ISS represents so much more than an orbiting laboratory. For more than 20 years since its launch on November 20, 1998, it has been an international host to scientists, researchers, and personalities of many ethnicities and nationalities, each working collaboratively toward common goals.
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Innovation
man, in his quest for knowledge
cannot be deterred
man, in his quest for knowledge
cannot be deterred
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“It is not surprising that some would have us stay where we are a little longer to rest, to wait. But…man, in his quest for knowledge and progress, is determined and cannot be deterred.”
1961
During Project Gemini, NASA engineers begin work on a system that can remotely monitor astronaut vital signs from the ground. These early innovations would later lead to the technologies that power telehealth check-ins with your doctor.
1966
In concert with NASA, the Ames Research Center tests a new type of cushion in high-g maneuvering in jet aircrafts. This new, powerfully effective material? Memory foam.
2002
As part of a research contract with the Johnson Space Center in Houston, scientists develop a water purification material for space missions that eventually filters its way into popular hiking and camping products in use today.
2011
An electronic “nose,” developed by the Italian Space Agency with the assistance of NASA, is tested aboard the International Space Station. One eventual goal of this program would be to detect viruses in the air, like COVID, back here on Earth.
Today
Countless consumer and professional products available today can trace their roots back to NASA projects started in the name of safer space travel and innovation. For a complete look, NASA has collected these innovations into a free publication called Spinoff.
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Environment
The greater our knowledge increases
the greater our ignorance unfolds
The greater our knowledge increases
the greater our ignorance unfolds
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“We meet in an hour of change and challenge, in a decade of hope and fear, in an age of both knowledge and ignorance. The greater our knowledge increases, the greater our ignorance unfolds.”
1968
The famous “Earthrise” photo was released to the public, sparking an enormous collective push to care for the environment.
1970
The Environmental Protection Agency was founded, and the Clean Air Act was passed. Both marked a major shift in governmental concern over the environment.
1988
NASA scientist James Hansen stands before Congress to share the learnings about the ozone layer erosion rate and issue a warning about its alarming consequences on our planet because of global warming.
1995
The World Meteorological Organization reports that the hole in the ozone is expanding at a record rate.
2000
The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change releases the final part of a serial report on the cost of reversing emissions of greenhouse gasses.
Today
Nearly three decades after their first report, the World Meteorological Organization issues a new warning highlighting ongoing climate change, an increase in the occurrence of extreme events, changing weather overall, and a marked change in water services, as well as severe losses of life and damage to societies and economies all over the world.
