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Rhetorical Analysis of Jfk Moon Speech

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Kennedy's Speech

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Home > STUDENT > COMM300 > 3

Communication 300 Papers

Rhetorical analysis of choosing to go to the moon "and do the other things".

Skyler M. Kona Follow

On September 12, 1962, president John F. Kennedy visited Rice University in Houston, Texas, and delivered what is commonly known as one of the most iconic speeches in American history. The speech, titled “Address at Rice University on the Nation's Space Effort”, but more widely known as “We Choose to go to the Moon”, was an attempt to gain further support for the nation's efforts in the Space Race against the Soviet Union. In his speech, Kennedy uses various techniques in order to further boost the audience's understanding of the situation, as well as, crucially, inspiring them to lend their support to these efforts. The speech today is seen as a symbol of victory, given that since then, America has successfully landed the first astronauts on the Moon, but at the time the speech was given, it was difficult to gain public support while the nation was losing the Space Race. This paper is an examination on the rhetoric of the speech, and why it worked well.

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JFK, John F Kennedy, Moon Landing, Rhetoric, Rice University, We Choose to go to the Moon

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“We choose to go to the Moon”: Remembering JFK’s Rice University speech

Not long after Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed the Lunar Module (LM) Eagle on the surface of the Moon in July 1969, someone paid a visit to Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. Threading their way through its hallowed grounds to Lot 45, they surely spotted the dim glow of the John F. Kennedy Eternal Flame, then the bare Monson-slate marker for a president whose assassination six years earlier shocked the world. Pausing a moment, this anonymous visitor laid a small bouquet of flowers and a card. “Mr. President,” it read, with unabashed poignancy, “the Eagle has landed.”

It remains one of the great tragedies of the last century that Kennedy, the energetic young leader of the United States who, in May 1961, boldly directed his nation to land a man on the Moon before the decade’s end, did not live to see that promise fulfilled. Unsurprisingly for a politician, that promise was a politically motivated one, driven into force only weeks after the Soviet Union launched the first man into space and America globally humiliated itself with its failed attempt to topple Fidel Castro at Cuba’s Bay of Pigs.

Despite a constantly swaying pendulum of competing public opinion, Kennedy staunchly supported the lunar goal. There was disquiet over the president’s preferential treatment of the Moon above education and social welfare, for which he had vigorously campaigned during his years representing Massachusetts in the Senate. Indeed, a Gallup poll in May 1961 revealed only 42 percent of Americans heartily endorsed Kennedy’s bid for lunar glory.

The president had much to prove six decades ago today, on September 12, 1962, when he arrived at the 70,000-capacity Rice Stadium on the Rice University campus in Houston, Texas. The city had been chosen the year prior as the location for NASA’s Manned Spacecraft Center (MSC) — today’s Johnson Space Center (JSC) — and the university had played a pivotal role in its selection.

Kennedy aims for the Moon

As Kennedy took to the lectern around 10 A.M. that Wednesday morning, the stadium’s bleachers brimmed with a sweltering crowd of 40,000 or more. Fall semester classes were yet to begin, and the president’s audience members were mostly Rice freshmen, newly arrived on campus for orientation. Even at this early hour, temperatures looked set to soar to some 85 degrees Fahrenheit (30 degrees Celsius), as suited officials rhythmically tugged handkerchiefs from pockets to vigorously mop their brows. Perhaps aware of their discomfort, Kennedy pledged that his lecture would be brief.

Kennedy started his now-historic Rice speech by condensing the entirety of human history into a metaphoric 50-year “capsule of progress” to illuminate the relative recency of our evolution from cave-dwellers to farmers to space travelers. If all human history were condensed into a 50-year period, “Last month, electric lights and telephones and automobiles and airplanes became available,” Kennedy said, clearly relishing the extended metaphor. “Only last week did we develop penicillin and television and nuclear power.”

Humanity had advanced “at breathtaking pace,” he told the Rice crowd before stirring them with an equally breathless urgency to press on toward higher goals. “Some would have us stay where we are a little longer, to rest, to wait,” he said. “But this city of Houston, this state of Texas, this country of the United States was not built by those who waited and rested and wished to look behind them.”

At this moment, his audience broke into spontaneous applause. Kennedy continued. “But why, some say, the Moon? Why choose this as our goal? And they may well ask why climb the highest mountain? Why, 35 years ago, fly the Atlantic?”

Much of the speech’s content flowed from the mind and pen of Ted Sorensen, a lawyer, writer and advisor Kennedy regarded as his ‘intellectual blood-bank.’ But the next words from the president’s mouth were his own, scribbled in ink between Sorensen’s neatly typed lines of prose. “Why,” Kennedy asked the Rice crowd with an undeniable twinkle in his eye, “does Rice play Texas?”

Now he had them rapt, his play on the long-standing Rice-Texas football rivalry instantly winning him the ears of sports and space fans alike.

“We choose to go to the Moon,” Kennedy repeated to thunderous applause, “We choose to go to the Moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard . Because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone and one we intend to win.”

The president recalled the great British mountaineer George Mallory, who was once asked why he so earnestly desired to summit Mount Everest. Mallory’s answer — “because it is there” — similarly inspired Kennedy’s desire to conquer the Moon, another aspect of the unknown. “And therefore, as we set sail,” Kennedy said, “we ask God’s blessing on the most hazardous and dangerous and greatest adventure on which man has ever embarked.”

Six decades on from that rousing 18-minute Rice speech, Kennedy’s words continue to resonate. Although most U.S. presidents over the past 30 years have promoted grand national goals of sending humans to the Moon, little of their rhetoric has matched the energetic vigor of the United States’ youngest leader. Kennedy was a man of vision, whose presidency spanned a time of great optimism and hopefulness for the future of space travel.

Officially known as the Address at Rice University on the Nation’s Space Effort , Kennedy’s words are better known today as the “We Choose” speech. And as a new rocket, the Space Launch System (SLS), sits poised in Florida to return humans to the Moon before the present decade is out , his words of human choice, hard work, and uncompromising endeavor in the face of adversity still carry great weight today.

Kennedy’s principal goal, admittedly, was to beat the Soviet Union in a bygone age of geopolitical and ideological dominance. But the Rice speech he presented to the American public 60 summers ago still retains its naked power, capable of igniting the human spirit and nurturing our sense of optimism for the future. And this aspiration to follow our human urge to explore the unknown, surely, remains a central tenet of what makes us who we are.

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Rhetorical Analysis of John F. Kennedy's Moon Speech

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Introduction

John F. Kennedy's Moon Speech, also known as the Rice University speech, delivered on September 12, 1962, was a defining moment in American history. In this iconic address, President Kennedy expressed his vision of putting a man on the moon before the end of the decade, igniting an era of space exploration and technological advancement that would reshape America's position on the global stage.

Kennedy's speech was a response to the intensifying Cold War competition between the United States and Soviet Union in space exploration. The Soviets had already achieved several significant milestones such as launching Sputnik and sending Yuri Gagarin into orbit. To counter this threat and reaffirm America's commitment to technological superiority, Kennedy sought to rally public support by inspiring them with an ambitious goal – landing a man on the moon.

The significance of Kennedy's Moon Speech cannot be overstated. It marked a turning point in American history as it propelled NASA to undertake one of humanity’s greatest achievements – successfully landing astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin on the lunar surface during Apollo 11 mission in July 1969. This feat not only demonstrated American ingenuity but also showcased democracy triumphing over communism during one of history's most intense geopolitical rivalries.

John F. Kennedy’s Moon Speech set forth an audacious objective that captured both national imagination and determination. By aiming for such an extraordinary accomplishment within a limited timeframe, he galvanized not only scientists but also ordinary Americans from all walks of life who contributed their skills and resources to make his vision a reality. This speech played a pivotal role in shaping America’s scientific legacy while leaving an indelible mark on world history

Background information on the context and timing of the speech

The early 1960s were marked by an intense Cold War rivalry between these two superpowers. The Space Race became a critical battleground for ideological supremacy between communism and democracy. By setting his sights on landing a man on the moon, President Kennedy sought to assert American superiority not only in science and technology but also as a symbol of democratic values.

There were political considerations that influenced Kennedy's decision to deliver this speech at Rice University. Located in Houston, Texas, home to NASA's Manned Spacecraft Center (now known as Johnson Space Center), Rice University provided an ideal platform for Kennedy to rally support from scientists and engineers involved in the space program.

Understanding the context and timing of John F. Kennedy's Moon Speech is crucial to fully appreciate its significance within American history. It was delivered during a period of intense international rivalry where technological achievements held immense political importance. This backdrop created a sense of urgency that compelled America to push boundaries and achieve remarkable feats in space exploration

Identification and analysis of Kennedy's use of rhetorical devices, such as ethos, pathos, and logos

Kennedy skillfully utilized pathos, appealing to emotions and stirring a sense of national pride among his listeners. He painted a vivid picture of exploring new frontiers, describing space as "the last great frontier." This evoked feelings of awe, wonderment, and excitement about what lay beyond Earth's boundaries. By emphasizing how reaching the moon would symbolize human achievement on an unprecedented scale, he tapped into Americans' collective aspirations for greatness.

Kennedy incorporated logos by presenting logical arguments grounded in reason and evidence. He addressed concerns over costs by highlighting the economic benefits that space exploration could bring through job creation and technological advancements that would improve everyday life for all Americans. By framing the mission to reach the moon as an investment in America's future success rather than just an expensive venture, he provided a rational basis for pursuing this audacious goal.

Through his adept use of ethos, pathos, and logos in his Moon Speech, President Kennedy successfully engaged both intellects and emotions while building trust with his audience. This strategic combination allowed him to inspire widespread support for one of humanity's most remarkable endeavors - putting a man on the moon before the end of the decade

Examination of Kennedy's appeals to American patriotism and national pride

In his Moon Speech, Kennedy made powerful appeals to American patriotism and national pride. He highlighted the historical achievements of the United States, referencing explorers like Christopher Columbus and pioneers who had ventured into unknown territories in America's past. By drawing parallels between these historic endeavors and the mission to reach the moon, he tapped into a deep sense of American exceptionalism.

Kennedy emphasized that putting a man on the moon would demonstrate not only America's scientific and technological prowess but also its commitment to democratic values. He stated, "We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard." This statement resonated with Americans' belief in their nation's ability to overcome challenges through determination and resilience.

Kennedy's appeal to patriotism was further reinforced by his assertion that success in space exploration was essential for maintaining America's global leadership. As he famously declared, "If we are first...Then surely we shall be first in freedom among nations." By connecting America's status as a world power with its ability to achieve greatness in space exploration, Kennedy bolstered national pride while underscoring the importance of winning against Soviet competition.

Through his masterful use of rhetorical strategies such as appeals to patriotism and national pride, President Kennedy effectively united Americans behind a common goal – reaching the moon. His speech sparked an enduring spirit of unity and ambition that fueled NASA's efforts over the next decade until Neil Armstrong took those momentous steps onto lunar soil on July 20th, 1969

Analysis of the speech's structure and organization, including its memorable phrases and repetition

The structure and organization of Kennedy's Moon Speech played a crucial role in its impact and memorability. The speech followed a clear progression, beginning with an introduction that highlighted the historical significance of space exploration and America's role in it. Kennedy then presented his main argument for why the United States should undertake the mission to land on the moon - to reaffirm American values, showcase technological prowess, and secure national security.

One notable aspect of the speech was Kennedy's use of memorable phrases and repetition. He skillfully employed rhetorical devices such as parallelism and anaphora to emphasize key points and create a sense of rhythm throughout his address. For instance, he repeated variations of "We choose to go to the moon" multiple times, reinforcing the resolve behind this ambitious goal while also capturing attention through its rhythmic quality.

Kennedy utilized vivid imagery by referencing historical figures like Christopher Columbus and highlighting their pioneering spirit. By drawing parallels between past explorers who ventured into uncharted territories, he tapped into Americans' collective consciousness about pushing boundaries and embracing challenges head-on.

John F. Kennedy's Moon Speech stands out not only for its lofty vision but also for its effective structuring and use of rhetorical devices. The combination of logical arguments, emotional appeal, memorable phrases, repetition created a persuasive narrative that captured public imagination at a critical moment in history

Evaluation of the effectiveness of Kennedy's rhetorical strategies in inspiring the nation to support the moon landing mission

Kennedy's logical arguments resonated with the American public. By presenting space exploration as not just a scientific endeavor but also an economic opportunity, he provided a compelling rationale for investing resources in reaching the moon. His emphasis on job creation and technological advancements helped alleviate concerns about the costs involved while highlighting the long-term benefits for society as a whole.

In addition to this, Kennedy's credibility played a crucial role in garnering support for the moon landing mission. As President of the United States and Commander-in-Chief at that time, his words carried weight and authority. His reputation as a visionary leader who believed in pushing boundaries further solidified his ethos among listeners.

Kennedy's skillful use of rhetoric effectively inspired widespread support for the moon landing mission by combining emotional appeal with logical reasoning and leveraging his own credibility as President. This resulted in an unprecedented level of national mobilization and cooperation that ultimately led to one of humanity's greatest achievements - putting astronauts on the moon

Discussion of the speech's lasting impact on American space exploration and technological advancements

The lasting impact of John F. Kennedy's Moon Speech on American space exploration and technological advancements cannot be overstated. His call to action galvanized the nation, leading to a significant increase in funding for NASA and the development of groundbreaking technologies that would revolutionize space travel. The Apollo program, born out of Kennedy's vision, not only succeeded in landing astronauts on the moon but also paved the way for numerous scientific discoveries and technological innovations.

The advancements made during this era had far-reaching implications beyond space exploration. Technologies developed for the Apollo missions found applications in various industries, ranging from telecommunications to medical imaging. Tangible benefits such as improved satellite communications systems, weather forecasting capabilities, and advancements in computer technology were direct outcomes of America's commitment to reaching the moon. Kennedy's Moon Speech sparked a renewed interest in science and engineering among young Americans. It inspired generations of scientists, engineers, and innovators who would go on to contribute significantly to future breakthroughs in technology and research fields. The speech fueled a culture of innovation that persists today through private companies like SpaceX working towards ambitious goals such as colonizing Mars.

John F. Kennedy's Moon Speech left an indelible mark on American history by setting forth an audacious objective that pushed boundaries and led to remarkable achievements in space exploration. By inspiring national pride, appealing to reason and emotions while leveraging rhetorical devices effectively, he laid the foundation for enduring advancements that continue to shape our understanding of outer space while fostering progress here on Earth

The enduring legacy of Kennedy's Moon Speech can be seen in NASA's successful Apollo program that culminated in Neil Armstrong taking those famous first steps on the lunar surface. This monumental achievement not only showcased American technological prowess but also cemented America's position as a global leader in science and innovation.

President Kennedy's vision for space exploration has had far-reaching implications beyond just landing on the moon. It set the stage for further advancements in space travel and technology that continue to this day. The speech inspired generations to pursue careers in science and engineering while sparking curiosity about our universe.

John F. Kennedy’s Moon Speech serves as both a historic milestone and an enduring testament to the power of effective rhetoric in shaping public opinion and driving societal progress. It remains one of his most memorable speeches that will forever be associated with America’s extraordinary journey into space exploration

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John F. Kennedy (JFK) Moon Speech Transcript: “We Choose to Go to the Moon”

President John F. Kennedy’s Moon speech on September 12, 1962 in Rice Stadium. This speech was intended to persuade the American people to support the Apollo program. It is also referred to as the “We choose to go to the Moon” speech or “Address at Rice University on the Nation’s Space Effort.”

Transcribe Your Own Content Try Rev and save time transcribing, captioning, and subtitling.

John F. Kennedy: ( 00:04 ) 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. No man can fully grasp how far and how fast we have come. But condense, if you will, the 50,000 years of man’s recorded history in a time span of about a half a century. Stated in these terms, we know very little about the first 40 years, except at the end of them, advanced man had learned to use the skins of animals and cover them.

John F. Kennedy: ( 00:51 ) Then about 10 years ago, under this standard, man emerged from his caves to construct other kinds of shelter. Only five years ago, man learned to write and use a car with wheels. Christianity began less than two years ago. The printing press came this year. And then less than two months ago, during this whole 50 year span of human history, the steam engine provided a new source of power. Newton explored the meaning of gravity. Last month, electric lights and telephones and automobiles and airplanes became available. Only last week, we developed penicillin and television and nuclear power. This is a breathtaking pace and such a pace cannot help but create new ails as it dispels old.

John F. Kennedy: ( 01:53 ) So it is not surprising that some would have us stay where we are a little longer, to rest, to wait. If this capsuled history of our progress teaches us anything, it is that man in his quest for knowledge and progress is determined and cannot be deterred.

John F. Kennedy: ( 02:15 ) We shall send to the moon 240,000 miles away, a giant rocket, more than 300 feet tall on an untried mission to an unknown celestial body, and then return it safely to Earth. But why some say the moon? Why choose this as our goal? And they may well ask, why climb the highest mountain? Why 35 years ago fly the Atlantic? We choose to go to the moon. We chose to go to the moon. We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things not because they are easy, but because they are hard. Because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we’re willing to accept. One we are unwilling to postpone. And therefore, as we set sail, we ask God’s blessing on the most hazardous and dangerous and greatest adventure that man has ever gone.

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“We choose to go to the Moon”

"We choose to go to the Moon", officially titled the address at Rice University on the nation's space effort, is a September 12, 1962, speech by United States President John F. Kennedy to further inform the public about his plan to land a man on the Moon before 1970.

President Pitzer, Mr. Vice President, Governor, Congressman Thomas, Senator Wiley, and Congressman Miller, Mr. Webb, Mr. Bell, scientists, distinguished guests, and ladies and gentlemen:

I appreciate your president having made me an honorary visiting professor, and I will assure you that my first lecture will be very brief.

I am delighted to be here, and I’m particularly delighted to be here on this occasion.

We meet at a college noted for knowledge, in a city noted for progress, in a state noted for strength, and we stand in need of all three, for 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.

Despite the striking fact that most of the scientists that the world has ever known are alive and working today, despite the fact that this nation’s own scientific manpower is doubling every 12 years in a rate of growth more than three times that of our population as a whole, despite that, the vast stretches of the unknown and the unanswered and the unfinished still far outstrip our collective comprehension. 

No man can fully grasp how far and how fast we have come, but condense, if you will, the 50,000 years of man’s recorded history in a time span of but a half-century. Stated in these terms, we know very little about the first 40 years, except at the end of them advanced man had learned to use the skins of animals to cover them. Then about 10 years ago, under this standard, man emerged from his caves to construct other kinds of shelter. Only five years ago man learned to write and use a cart with wheels. Christianity began less than two years ago. The printing press came this year, and then less than two months ago, during this whole 50-year span of human history, the steam engine provided a new source of power. 

Newton explored the meaning of gravity. Last month electric lights and telephones and automobiles and airplanes became available. Only last week did we develop penicillin and television and nuclear power, and now if America’s new spacecraft succeeds in reaching Venus, we will have literally reached the stars before midnight tonight.

This is a breathtaking pace, and such a pace cannot help but create new ills as it dispels old, new ignorance, new problems, new dangers. Surely the opening vistas of space promise high costs and hardships, as well as high reward. 

So it is not surprising that some would have us stay where we are a little longer to rest, to wait. But this city of Houston, this State of Texas, this country of the United States was not built by those who waited and rested and wished to look behind them. This country was conquered by those who moved forward — and so will space. 

William Bradford, speaking in 1630 of the founding of the Plymouth Bay Colony, said that all great and honorable actions are accompanied with great difficulties, and both must be enterprised and overcome with answerable courage. 

If this capsule history of our progress teaches us anything, it is that man, in his quest for knowledge and progress, is determined and cannot be deterred. The exploration of space will go ahead, whether we join in it or not, and it is one of the great adventures of all time, and no nation which expects to be the leader of other nations can expect to stay behind in the race for space. 

Those who came before us made certain that this country rode the first waves of the industrial revolutions, the first waves of modern invention, and the first wave of nuclear power, and this generation does not intend to founder in the backwash of the coming age of space. We mean to be a part of it — we mean to lead it. For the eyes of the world now look into space, to the moon and to the planets beyond, and we have vowed that we shall not see it governed by a hostile flag of conquest, but by a banner of freedom and peace. We have vowed that we shall not see space filled with weapons of mass destruction, but with instruments of knowledge and understanding.

Yet the vows of this nation can only be fulfilled if we in this nation are first, and, therefore, we intend to be first. In short, our leadership in science and in industry, our hopes for peace and security, our obligations to ourselves as well as others, all require us to make this effort, to solve these mysteries, to solve them for the good of all men, and to become the world’s leading space-faring nation.

We set sail on this new sea because there is new knowledge to be gained, and new rights to be won, and they must be won and used for the progress of all people. For space science, like nuclear science and all technology, has no conscience of its own. Whether it will become a force for good or ill depends on man, and only if the United States occupies a position of pre-eminence can we help decide whether this new ocean will be a sea of peace or a new terrifying theater of war. I do not say the we should or will go unprotected against the hostile misuse of space any more than we go unprotected against the hostile use of land or sea, but I do say that space can be explored and mastered without feeding the fires of war, without repeating the mistakes that man has made in extending his writ around this globe of ours.

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. But why, some say, the moon? Why choose this as our goal? And they may well ask why climb the highest mountain? Why, 35 years ago, fly the Atlantic? Why does Rice play Texas? 

We choose to go to the moon. We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win, and the others, too. 

It is for these reasons that I regard the decision last year to shift our efforts in space from low to high gear as among the most important decisions that will be made during my incumbency in the office of the presidency. 

In the last 24 hours, we have seen facilities now being created for the greatest and most complex exploration in man’s history. We have felt the ground shake and the air shattered by the testing of a Saturn C-1 booster rocket, many times as powerful as the Atlas which launched John Glenn, generating power equivalent to 10,000 automobiles with their accelerators on the floor. We have seen the site where five F-1 rocket engines, each one as powerful as all eight engines of the Saturn combined, will be clustered together to make the advanced Saturn missile, assembled in a new building to be built at Cape Canaveral as tall as a 48-story structure, as wide as a city block, and as long as two lengths of this field.

Within these last 19 months at least 45 satellites have circled the earth. Some 40 of them were “made in the United States of America,” and they were far more sophisticated and supplied far more knowledge to the people of the world than those of the Soviet Union.

The Mariner spacecraft now on its way to Venus is the most intricate instrument in the history of space science. The accuracy of that shot is comparable to firing a missile from Cape Canaveral and dropping it in this stadium between the 40-yard lines.

Transit satellites are helping our ships at sea to steer a safer course. Tiros satellites have given us unprecedented warnings of hurricanes and storms, and will do the same for forest fires and icebergs.

We have had our failures, but so have others, even if they do not admit them. And they may be less public.

To be sure, we are behind, and will be behind for some time in manned flight. But we do not intend to stay behind, and in this decade, we shall make up and move ahead.

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. Technical institutions, such as Rice, will reap the harvest of these gains.

And finally, the space effort itself, while still in its infancy, has already created a great number of new companies, and tens of thousands of new jobs. Space and related industries are generating new demands in investment and skilled personnel, and this city and this state, and this region, will share greatly in this growth. What was once the furthest outpost on the old frontier of the West will be the furthest outpost on the new frontier of science and space. Houston, your city of Houston, with its Manned Spacecraft Center, will become the heart of a large scientific and engineering community. During the next five years the National Aeronautics and Space Administration expects to double the number of scientists and engineers in this area, to increase its outlays for salaries and expenses to $60 million a year; to invest some $200 million in plant and laboratory facilities; and to direct or contract for new space efforts over $1 billion from this center in this city.

To be sure, all of this costs us all a good deal of money. This year’s space budget is three times what it was in January 1961, and it is greater than the space budget of the previous eight years combined. That budget now stands at $5,400,000 a year — a staggering sum, though somewhat less than we pay for cigarettes and cigars every year. Space expenditures will soon rise some more, from 40 cents per person per week to more than 50 cents a week for every man, woman and child in the United States, for we have given this program a high national priority — even though I realize that this is in some measure an act of faith and vision, for we do not now know what benefits await us. 

But if I were to say, my fellow citizens, that we shall send to the moon, 240,000 miles away from the control station in Houston, a giant rocket more than 300 feet tall, the length of this football field, made of new metal alloys, some of which have not yet been invented, capable of standing heat and stresses several times more than have ever been experienced, fitted together with a precision better than the finest watch, carrying all the equipment needed for propulsion, guidance, control, communications, food and survival, on an untried mission, to an unknown celestial body, and then return it safely to Earth, re-entering the atmosphere at speeds of over 25,000 miles per hour, causing heat about half that of the temperature of the sun — almost as hot as it is here today — and do all this, and do it right, and do it first before this decade is out — then we must be bold. 

I’m the one who is doing all the work, so we just want you to stay cool for a minute. [laughter]

However, I think we’re going to do it, and I think that we must pay what needs to be paid. I don’t think we ought to waste any money, but I think we ought to do the job. And this will be done in the decade of the sixties. It may be done while some of you are still here at school at this college and university. It will be done during the term of office of some of the people who sit here on this platform. But it will be done. And it will be done before the end of this decade.

I am delighted that this university is playing a part in putting a man on the moon as part of a great national effort of the United States of America.

Many years ago, the great British explorer George Mallory, who was to die on Mount Everest, was asked why did he want to climb it? He said, “Because it is there.” 

Well, space is there, and we’re going to climb it, and the moon and the planets are there, and new hopes for knowledge and peace are there. And, therefore, as we set sail we ask God’s blessing on the most hazardous and dangerous and greatest adventure on which man has ever embarked.