50 Years Ago: Kennedy's Moon Speech Remembered

"We choose to go to the Moon..."

Last week NASA celebrated a another pivotal moment in history.

In May, 1961, President Kennedy had declared to Congress that Americans should have a goal to reach the Moon before the end of the decade. On September 12, 1962, the president spoke to a crowd of supporters at Rice University. HIs speech explained his guiding motives in creating a challenge for America to reach out and explore the Moon. "We choose to go to the Moon and do the other thing, not because it is easy but because it is hard.." he explained. While the original goal had its roots in the Cold War competing against the space efforts of the Soviet Union, his speech made it clear there were even greater opportunities for the growth of our nation, and that of the world.

To see and hear the speech, go to NASA's website at http://www.nasa.gov/topics/history/features/jfk_rice_speech_50th.html