Evening star., 1961-05-28
Destination: The Moon

II freSloenL just IeW years back
had asked Congress for funds to prepare
for sending an American to the moon,
he would have been laughed at. How
ever, there was no laughter, only sincere
applause, when President Kennedy out
lined at the Capitol the Governments
plans for voyages to the moon and even
beyond. For space travel has leaped
from the pages of science fiction to
thrilling reality The question today is
not whether a moon expedition is
feasible, but whether we or the Russians
will be the first to reach our lunar
satellite-and when.
The orbiting of the earth by Soviet
AStronaut Gagarin and the recent sub
orbital space trip of American Astro-
naut Shepard have convinced even the
more skeptical laymen that the explora-
ton of space is not far in the future.
Nor Is there any doubt that feverish
preparations are being made behind the
Iron Curtain to launch the first man
toward the moon-an achievement
which would naturally be exploited by
the Communists as proof of the superb
ority Of their way of life.
Should we be content to let the
Russians win this contest by default?
The President and his scientific ad-
visers have answered the query as most
of us would answer it-with a resound-
ing negative. Too much is at stake to
permit Of apathy in the space contest.
Aside from the prestige and propaganda
angles involved are the potentialities
Of increasing our knowledge of the
heavens for such earthly problems as
weather forecaSting and control, radia-
tion protection, global televiSion and
other communications and similar
practical applications.
Mr.. Kennedy stressed that the
Russians have gotten the jump on us
with heavy boosters designed to hurl
manned rockets far out into space. But,
he told Congress, this should only spur us
To make greater efforts to catch up, If
not to outrun them to the goal while
we cannot guarantee" the President
said, that we shall one day be first,
we can guarantee that any failure to
share this effort will make us last"
Obviously, we cannot afford to give the
Communist world the satisfaction Of
knowing that they have no competition
In space.
When the President spoke Of sharing
the effort to reach to the moon and
beyond, he was appealing to all Ameri-
cans to join in the program. The aver
age citizen can do so through his taxes,
which will help to pay the cost of the
redoubled space program. But, as Mr..
Kennedy emphasized in his closing
remarks, money alone will not do the
Job. In his words: This decision de-
mands major national commitment Of
scientific and technical manpower,
material and facilities, and the posi-
bility of their diversion from other
important activities where they are
already thinly spread. 1t means a
degree of dedication, organization and
discipline which has not always charac-
terized our research and development
efforts. 1t means we cannot afford
work stoppageS, inflated costs Of mate
rial or talent, wasteful interagency
rivalries or a high turnover Of key
personnel"
This summary of what is necessary
adventure of space" deserves reading
and re-reading by every citizen. Each
Of us must take these admonitions to
heart, personally, If the dream of an
American landing on the moon or on
other targets Is to come true in our time.