4. Moon Landing¶

Status: accepted
Decision Date: 1961-05-25
Public Announcement: 1962-09-12
Deciders: Mark Watney, Melissa Lewis, Rick Martinez

4.1. Context and Problem Statement¶

Before this decade is out
Landing a man on the Moon
Returning him safely to the Earth

4.2. Decision Drivers¶

Demonstrate technological superiority
Win Space Race between superpowers
We are doing this for all mankind
Political reason
Inspiration for next generation
Create a great number of new companies, and tens of thousands of new jobs
Generate new demands in investment and skilled personnel
Double the number of NASA scientists and engineers
Increase outlays for salaries and expenses to $60 million a year
Invest $200 million in plant and laboratory facilities
Direct or contract for new space efforts over $1 billion

4.3. Considered Options¶

Long duration spaceflight to orbital station
Mars landing
Doing nothing

4.4. Decision Outcome¶

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.

4.5. Pros and Cons of the Options¶

Mars landing:

Dangerous

Requires much bigger budget

Orbital Station:

Not spectacular

Will not progress us as much as Moon landing