On May 25, 1961, at a rare joint session of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, President John F. Kennedy said it was time to step up the struggle against the Soviet Union and China. America should build up its economy and provide aid to countries threatened by communist expansion, he said. And it should launch a bold new adventure: "I believe 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 earth." The race to the moon was on. After an extraordinary decade of innovation, it ended on July 20, 1969, with an American victory and this unforgettable message from the moon: "Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed."

Related Links
NASA: Apollo site