NASA Deemed Sluggish Out of the Gate in All-Out Race to Moon

Aug. 12, 1961 - Nearly three months after President Kennedy called for an all-out race to the moon, there is no one in direct charge of the expedition. NASA has yet to start building the capsule that is supposed to carry a three-man expedition to the moon before the end of the decade. Also, no decision has been made on the rocket that is to be built to launch the Apollo capsule on a round trip to the moon. There is concern in many quarters - Congress, the Pentagon, the executive branch, and even within the space agency. As one NASA scientist put it this week: "At the rate we are going, we will lucky to reach the moon by 1975."

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