Apollo 8 orbited the Moon in Dec. 1968.
We landed July 1969.
I don't remember when Pres. Kennedy committed the USA
to reach the Moon. Was it in 1961?
So it took maybe seven/eight years with 1960's tech.
And people now act so wimpy about doing it
now with 21st Century technology.
From what I understand, Wernher von Braun was kicking the Saturn family rocket design around since at least Juno I launched in early 58,
Don’t forget: a large chunk of American economic and manufacturing capacity was behind the Apollo program. It was a core project to show the world that free people can not just equal, but better, the accomplishments of those Communism enslaved. We spent like we meant it, because we did.
Now? Beating China is a theoretical given, and lunar development makes for a slowly stretched out contractor pork-a-palooza. If/when China puts a man on the moon, then it’s back to being a core priority, because only then is it an existential threat.
I know. They are pussies with out adventure.
Like a kitten with out the viking...