John F. Kennedy Moon Speech (1962)

John F. Kennedy Moon Speech - Rice Stadium
http://er.jsc.nasa.gov/seh/ricetalk.htm
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 many 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.

• Category

  Science & Technology

[Jason A]

That Boston accent sure is something!

[Carlos Rocha]

DJ Premier sampled the dialogue of this speech on the song Above The Clouds

[gemons8]

Its obvious there's something there not telling us about why they went to the moon.

[IceChocTea]

Fuck you Lee Henry Oswald and fuck you too Jack Ruby for killing Henry before he could be fucked.

[Mademoiselle Isabelle]

this was my history homework and i couldn't enjoy it more.... he was so attractive and the way he talked..... <3

[450teamsuzuki]

Well I should have done some research then. From most footage I have seen he was an outstanding guy. Different than all presidents since imo

[Robert Cowgill]

the O'kennedies were the first ruling famliy of ireland, kings, they dropped the O when they came to america... went from kings to presidents and you think theres no reason to think he could have connections???

[450teamsuzuki]

Last elected president of the United States?

[wolvycrusher]

Mr Irvin Boyd is the worst teacher I've ever had.

[Polygeekess]

Wow, no wonder many people liked President Kennedy. His charisma and skill with speeches is astounding. They really don't make politicians like they used to.

[TheMissing8]

8 banks disliked this speech.

[call911forpolice]

this spirit needs to be reawakened.