But if we look at history, that just isn't true. None of these things took place, yet given the rate of progress in technology at the time, they were reasonable predictions. The reason these things didn't happen was what society decided to pursue as goals, rather than the ability for technology to deliver a particular solution. Remember that absolutely no one predicted the impact of a flood of low-cost computing power to the masses, no hint of the Internet, email, video games, or a hundred other devices. If the human race decides to explore and colonize the solar system, it will.
History shows that human beings can do just about anything.
When they are either mad enough or tired enough, they will decide to do something about it. The will of a dead president and the desire of the nation to fulfill that will are what made it possible.