Shortly after the Soviets sent the first man into space, President Kennedy wanted to know how the U.S. could better the Soviets. Vice President Lyndon Johnson spoke with top NASA officials, as well as U.S. military and industrial leaders, about the nation's chances of beating the Soviets to the moon. At that time, neither country had a rocket powerful enough for such a mission.

In a bold declaration on May 25, 1961, Kennedy stated, "I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the Earth."