Basically, we upped the ante.

Many people saw [the Apollo landing] as adding to the tradition of Western expansion and the new frontier. There is a strong cultural thread in America seeking exploration and fulfilling man’s destiny.

The federal government was seen as key toward innovation and technological progress, by defining what’s essentially civilian, like the space program, as a government endeavor.

There were racial, economic and social divisions — strains that were very real and very important. [The moon landing] was the culmination of forces that brought everyone together to pursue a common goal.