speech on the topic moon

Essay On Moon

500 words essay on moon.

The moon is the satellite of the earth that moves around the earth. We see it shining it a night by the light which the sun reflects on it. The moon is a beautiful satellite that everyone admires for its beauty. Moreover, the bright moonlight is soothing for all of us. It makes the earthly objects shine like silver in the moonlight. Thus, an essay on moon will help us learn more about its enchanting beauty.

All about the Moon

While people find the moon to be very beautiful, it is not as beautiful as it appears to be. It is devoid of plants and animals and is not a suitable place for plants or animals. Thus, we do not see any form of life on the moon.

Similarly, human beings won’t be able to live on the moon. Like how our earth has an atmosphere, the moon does not. Thus, the lunar days are quite hot and the lunar nights are very intense.

Similarly, while it may look beautiful from the earth, it does have a forbidding appearance. In other words, the moon is full of rocks and craters. In fact, even if you look at the moon from your naked eye, you can see some dark spots on it.

They are dangerous rocks and craters. In addition, the gravitational pull of the moon is less than that of the planet earth. As a result, it will difficult to walk on the surface of the moon.

The moon has different phases as it moves along its orbit around the earth. Basically, half of the moon is always in sunlight so half the earth has day while the other half has night. Meaning to say, the phases of the moon depends on how much of the sunlit half we can see at any one time.

Journey to the moon

Ever since the beginning, man has been fascinated by the moon. We have looked at it with wonder and it shows in the earlier works of poets and scientists. To reveal the mystery of the moon, scientists tried to study it.

Thus, a lot of attempts were made to send humans to the moon. On July 21, 1969, two Americans Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin made it to the moon. They got to walk on the surface of the moon and collect lunar rocks.

After that, they had a safe journey back to earth. A lot of American scientists have sent their men to the moon multiple times now. Thus, man has conquered the moon and it is not a mystery anymore.

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Conclusion of the Essay on Moon

To sum it up, the moon shines bright at night when the sun is not on duty. It sheds its silver light which is very cool and refreshing. Moreover, the moonlit nights also impact our mind and body via a soothing effect.

FAQ of Essay on Moon

Question 1: What is the importance of the moon?

Answer 1: Moon is the brightest and largest object in our night sky, which makes the Earth a more livable planet by moderating our home planet’s wobble on its axis. This in turn leads to a relatively stable climate. Moreover, it also causes tides, which creates a rhythm that has guided humans for thousands of years.

Question 2: How was the moon created?

Answer 2: The moon was formed 4.5 billion years ago. It was around 30 to 50 million years after the origin of the Solar System, out of debris thrown into orbit via a massive collision. This collision was between a smaller proto-Earth and another planetoid which was about the size of Mars. In our solar system, almost all moons spin at the same rate as they orbit.

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The Moon – 10 Lines, Short and Long Essay For Children

Key Points To Remember When Writing Essay On Moon For Lower Primary Classes

5 sentences about moon for children, 10 lines on moon for kids, a paragraph on moon for children, short essay on moon in english for kids, long essay on moon for kids, interesting facts about moon for children, what will your child learn from the essay on moon.

The moon revolves around the earth and is Earth’s natural satellite. It reflects bright light from starry skies and adds a sense of peace and tranquillity to nightly environments. The moon is a beautiful sight, and it’s not every night we get to experience a full moon. Moonlight therapy is believed to improve eyesight, visualisation, imagination, and creative thinking skills. It also helps boost focus and overall concentration abilities. There is a lot to learn about moon, and a wonderful way to teach children is by asking them to write an essay in English on Moon.  Essay writing assignments for classes 1, 2, and 3 will be a great way to learn about this fantastic celestial body as well as develop their language, vocabulary and communication skills.

The moon symbolises serenity, beauty, and tranquillity in the night. Here are a few key points to remember when writing an essay about the moon for kids:

• Start with an introductory paragraph on how the moon was formed and its position in the solar system
• Get into the benefits of moonlight for humans and the missions around it.
• End with a conclusion paragraph and summarise the essay

Moon has always attracted humans in some way or other, and kids feel a special bond with it. Here are a  few lines about moon  in English:

• The moon reflects light from the sun and does not produce its own light
• The moon follows a fixed orbital pathway and is Earth’s natural satellite
• There are many rocks and craters on the moon
• Life is not sustainable on the moon since it lacks an atmosphere
• The age of moon is approximately 4.53 billion years

You can help your child learn about the moon by writing these 10 easy lines. Here are a few lines that can be used in an essay on moon for class 1 and 2.

• Moon is an astronomical body with a diameter of around 3475 km.
• There is no life found on the moon yet.
• Humans can’t live on the moon due to the absence of atmosphere.
• Many authors, artists, and poets have been inspired by the moon in the past and given history’s best work.
• Neil Armstrong was the first person to land on the moon in 1969.
• The moon is very dry, and there are no wet environments.
• The moon is Earth’s only natural satellite.
• The moon is beautiful and marvellous to look at.
• The temperature on the moon fluctuates between +200 to -200 degrees Celsius.
• Moon is approximately 4.53 billion old.

Since the beginning of time, man has always had a deep connection with the moon. It’s no wonder why there are so many mysteries around the moon and why scientists continue to do staggering research. Here is a short paragraph on moon for kids:

Moon has always been an object of admiration and curiosity for humanity. Moon is an astronomical body with a diameter of around 3475 km. The moon reflects light from the sun and does not produce its own light. Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin were the first two people to make a landing on the moon. They explored the surface, collected lunar rocks, and gave a moment to humans to remember always. It’s fascinating how scientists study the moon since there is still a lot we don’t know. Since then, many scientists worldwide have flown many astronauts to the depths of the moon.

It’s confirmed that man has conquered the moon. Many moon missions have been carried out since Neil Armstrong made his mark. Here is an essay for classes 1, 2, and 3 on the moon in English.

The moon can be seen from earth at night and shines brightly amidst the starry skies. We do not get to see a full moon every night but somewhat in different phases. The way earth revolves around the sun; the moon revolves around the earth. It takes around 27 days for the moon to do a complete orbit around the earth. There is no atmosphere on the moon; therefore, life cannot exist on earth. The moon is crucial in the formation of calendars. The temperature on the moon fluctuates between +200 to -200 degrees Celsius. It serves spiritual significance and is dubbed the fifth largest natural satellite in our solar system. Though the moon looks beautiful, it is full of rocks and craters. The moon doesn’t have its own shine; it is the reflection of the sunlight. Moon is the only natural satellite earth has. It’s amazing to see how scientists study the moon since there is still a lot we don’t know.

The moon is approximately 240,000 miles away from earth and is one of the brightest and most prominent objects in the night sky. Below is a long essay for class 3 on the moon for kids:

Moon is one of the most beautiful celestial bodies that can be seen from earth, and it has always inspired curiosity and imagination in humankind. Hence, scientists have designed several spacecraft projects to monitor the moon and observe its surroundings. When the moon and sun meet on opposite sides of the earth, it leads to a phenomenon known as a ‘total lunar eclipse.’

The moon is known by different names in various languages, such as ‘Luna,’ in Italian, ‘Mond,’ in German, and ‘Selene,’ in Greek. You can think of the moon as a desert with mountains and valleys since there are no life forms. There are many theories regarding the moon’s origins, but scientists think that the moon was made when the earth collided with a celestial body in space. The way earth revolves around the sun; the moon revolves around the earth. It takes around 27 days for the moon to do a complete orbit around the earth.

What Is Moon?

The moon is a vast rocky object that orbits the earth in space and has a total diameter of roughly 3,500 kilometers.

Phases Of Moon

The key phases of the moon are:

• New moon, which is when the moon is unlit
• Waxing and Waning Crescent, when the moon resembles a crescent, is also called post-lunar phase
• Half-moon phase, which is referred to collectively as the first and third quarter
• Full moon, a full view of the moon
• Waxing and Waning Gibbous, when more than 50% of the moon is visible

Importance Of Moon

The moon creates tides for the earth’s oceans and ensures a steady rhythm which gives the planet direction. It also stabilises the earth’s axis by mentioning its positioning relative to it in the solar system.

Man’s Journey To The Moon

The Apollo-11 mission was man’s first lunar landing. On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin stepped out of Apollo 11 onto the moon’s surface. They collected samples from the moon’s surface and opened the room for more research on this glowing ball near earth called the moon.

Here are some interesting facts about the moon:

• The moon’s surface is soft, and powdery, almost resembling a desert
• The earth wouldn’t have long days without the presence of the moon
• Moon has an axis, too, just like the earth
• Armstrong spent 13 hours on the moon collecting rock fragments and doing experiments
• Apollo 11 is the first lunar project that made it to the moon and safely back to earth.

Your child will learn about the moon’s history, its importance, and why it exists through this essay.

1. How Was The Moon Formed?

It is believed that when earth and a small planet close to the size of Mars collided in space; the moon was formed.

2. How Old Is The Moon?

The moon is more than 4.53 billion years old.

3. How Many Moon Missions Has India Completed?

As of 2021, Chandrayaan-2 has completed over 9,000 revolutions of the moon and is India’s second biggest Moon Mission.

4. How Many Days Does The Moon Take to Complete An Orbit Around the Earth?

The moon takes approximately 27 days to complete a full circle around the earth.

Now that you know enough about the moon, you can begin writing that essay for kids. Have fun!

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Short Essay on Moon [100, 200, 400 Words] With PDF

Moon is the natural satellite of our dear planet earth. There are many mysterious stories about this beautiful satellite. In this lesson today, you will learn to write essays on the moon. 

Short Essay on Moon for Children in 100 Words 

The moon is planet earth’s only natural satellite. It orbits around the earth and takes 27 days 7 hours 43 minutes to complete one circle. The moon is visible from the earth at night. It shines brightly and looks beautiful. The surface of the moon is rocky and full of impact craters.

It doesn’t have its own light and reflects the light of the sun. Because of the different positions of the sun, the moon and the earth in the sky, we get to see different phases of the moon every night. The moon has been a part of various cultures and religions since the beginning of civilization. In 1969, Neil Armstrong became the first human to walk on the moon.

Short Essay on Moon for Children in 200 Words

The moon is the only natural satellite of the earth. It revolves around the earth in an elliptical orbit and takes 27 days to complete one circle. The moon is visible from the earth at night. We always get to see the same side of the moon because it is tidally locked to the earth. Our moon is the largest natural satellite in the solar system relative to the size of a major planet. It is also the fifth largest satellite in our solar system overall. 

The surface of the moon is rocky and full of impact craters. It lacks a proper atmosphere, hydrosphere and magnetic field. The surface gravity of the moon is just one-sixth that of earth. The moon doesn’t produce any light and simply reflects the light cast on it by the sun. Because of the changing relative positions of the sun, the moon and the earth in the sky, we get to see different phases of the moon every night. 

The moon is beautiful and the moonlight is soothing. Since ancient times, the moon has been a part of various cultures, religions, literature and art. In 1969, the United States became the first country to send people to the moon and Neil Armstrong became the first human to walk on the surface of the moon. 

Short Essay on Moon for Children in 400 Words

A moon is a celestial body that orbits around a planet. In other words, it is a natural satellite of the planet. Planets can have any number of moons. Some planets like Mercury and Venus have no moon while Saturn boasts a total of 82 moons. Earth’s moon is the only natural satellite of our planet.

It revolves around the earth in an elliptical orbit and takes 27 days to complete one circle. Our moon also rotates on its own axis and takes approximately 27 days to complete one rotation as well. We always get to see the same side of the moon because having the same rotation and circling period makes it tidally locked to the earth.

Our moon is the largest natural satellite in the solar system relative to the size of a major planet. It is also the fifth largest satellite in our solar system overall. The surface of the moon is rocky and full of dead volcanoes, craters and lava flows. The surface is also covered in a thick layer of dust. It lacks a proper atmosphere, hydrosphere and magnetic field. The surface gravity of the moon is just one-sixth that of earth.

The moon doesn’t produce any light and simply reflects the light cast on it by the sun. Because of the changing relative positions of the sun, the moon and the earth in the sky, we get to see different phases of the moon every night. As the moon’s apparent size is close to the sun, sometimes when the moon comes in between the sun and the earth in a straight path, it causes a solar eclipse. 

Our moon shines brightly in the night sky and looks beautiful. The moon, its phases, appearance, and its association with the natural cycles of the earth as well as women have long intrigued people. Since ancient times, the moon has been a part of various cultures, religions, literature and art. Most ancient civilizations used the lunar cycle to develop a calendar. The modern Gregorian calendar also evolved out of a lunar calendar system.

In 1969, the United States became the first country to send people to the moon and Neil Armstrong became the first human to walk on the surface of the moon. He brought back samples of lunar rocks that helped scientists understand the history and composition of the moon better. Since then, many crewed and uncrewed missions have been sent to the moon and our understanding of our only natural satellite has improved greatly.

In the lesson above, I have tried to discuss the entire topic in a very simple language that every student can easily understand this topic very clearly. Hopefully, you will be able to write such essays yourself after going through this session. To clear your remaining doubts regarding this session, post them down in the comment box. If you want to read more such essays on various important topics, keep browsing our website.

To get the latest updates on our upcoming sessions, please join us on Telegram . Thank you for being with us. Have a nice day. 

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How space exploration has changed, 60 years since JFK's 'We Choose the Moon' speech

Dustin Jones

Sixty years ago, President John F. Kennedy delivered an address at Rice University to inspire Americans to support NASA's mission to the moon. In what became known as his "We Choose the Moon" speech, Kennedy promised to put an American astronaut on the moon before the end of the 1960s. Anonymous/AP hide caption

Sixty years ago, President John F. Kennedy delivered an address at Rice University to inspire Americans to support NASA's mission to the moon. In what became known as his "We Choose the Moon" speech, Kennedy promised to put an American astronaut on the moon before the end of the 1960s.

It's been 60 years since President John F. Kennedy spoke to a crowd of more than 30,000 about America's race to the moon. His "We Choose the Moon" speech became a pivotal moment in the space program, rallying the nation behind a mission that was far from certain.

"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," Kennedy told the crowd at Rice University in Houston. The president promised to put a man on the moon before the end of the decade, and seven years later, he delivered , with the Apollo 11 moon landing in 1969 .

Space exploration has come a long way since Kennedy kicked America's space program into overdrive.

The moon was just the beginning

A NASA rover traversing the surface of Mars. NASA hide caption

A NASA rover traversing the surface of Mars.

One of NASA's most incredible achievements may very well be when it landed a rover on Mars, which took place less than 30 years after a man first touched down on the moon.

Scientists have gone back to Mars more than a handful of times since that first Mars rover landing in 1997, using sophisticated robots to explore the red planet and its potential for supporting life.

Space exploration has gone commercial

NASA astronaut Robert Hines climbed into a Tesla before boarding a SpaceX launch in April 2021. Aubrey Gemignani/AP hide caption

NASA astronaut Robert Hines climbed into a Tesla before boarding a SpaceX launch in April 2021.

When Kennedy announced that the United States was going to put a man on the moon, the then-Soviet Union and the U.S. were the main players in the space race. But now, there are multiple companies focused on space exploration, including Elon Musk's SpaceX.

Musk aims to send a crewed mission to Mars in 2029, 60 years after the moon landing.

He's not the only billionaire looking to leave the planet. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has Blue Origin , and British business mogul Richard Branson has Virgin Galactic. Earlier this year , Branson's company opened up ticket sales for commercial passenger flights that it says will start in 2022, at a price of $450,000 per reservation.

Space telescopes can capture so much more

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope captured images of some of the oldest galaxies in the universe this summer. NASA, ESA, CSA, and STScI hide caption

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope captured images of some of the oldest galaxies in the universe this summer.

The James Webb Space Telescope relayed images of some of the oldest galaxies in the universe earlier this summer. The $10 billion observatory launched last December on a mission to find the first galaxies that formed after the Big Bang.

But Webb does more than just taking stellar photos . Scientists are using the telescope to study the atmospheres of other planets and to better understand the fundamentals of dark matter.

NASA is going back to the moon

An illustration of what a base camp on the moon's surface could look like. Astronauts could find themselves living on the moon for up to two months, according to NASA. NASA hide caption

An illustration of what a base camp on the moon's surface could look like. Astronauts could find themselves living on the moon for up to two months, according to NASA.

Fifty years after the last moon landing, NASA announced it's going back. Astronauts will once again touch down on the lunar surface to study rock and ice samples.

NASA eyes late September for its next attempt to launch the Artemis moon mission

The moon missions could serve as a stepping stone to the grand plan of putting a man on Mars by establishing a permanent human presence on the lunar surface through NASA's Artemis program.

The goal is to establish an Artemis Base Camp on the lunar surface, including a rover and lunar cabin, where astronauts may live for as long as two months at a time, according to NASA.

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“We choose to go to the Moon”: Read JFK’s Moon speech in full

With the US trailing Russia in the space race, President Kennedy had to rally popular support for an increased American effort.

Piers Bizony

Yuri Gagarin’s spaceflight on 12 April 1961 was a major embarrassment for President John F Kennedy, the White House’s new occupant. Until that point, he hadn’t taken the space race seriously, and he was alarmed at the global response to Russia’s triumph. He paced the White House asking his advisors, “What can we do? How can we catch up?”

Just one week later, Kennedy suffered another defeat. A 1,300-strong force of exiled Cubans, supported by the CIA, landed at the Bay of Pigs in Cuba with the intention of destroying Fidel Castro’s regime. Kennedy had approved the invasion, but Castro’s troops knew what was coming and were waiting on the beaches. The raid was a complete disaster.

There was some encouragement for the new president, however. On 5 May 1961, NASA astronaut Alan Shepard was launched atop a small Redstone booster. His flight wasn’t a full orbit of Earth, merely a ballistic arc lasting approximately 15 minutes. Gagarin’s Vostok craft had circled the world, while Shepard’s little Mercury capsule splashed into the Atlantic just a few hundred kilometres from its launch site. But it was enough to prove NASA’s capabilities.

Read more about the space race:

• The Space Race: how Cold War tensions put a rocket under the quest for the Moon
• Nazis, magic and McCarthyism: the dark history of early American space exploration

Kennedy now turned to space as a means of bolstering his credibility. On 25 May 1961, he made his landmark address to Congress pledging America to a Moon landing “before this decade is out” and the Apollo project was born. But to accomplish the feat that many deemed to be misguided and, in some cases, unnecessary, he needed the support of the American public.

On 12 September 1962, he pitched his vision in a speech delivered to 40,000 people gathered at Rice University in Texas and it propelled the nation to a new frontier.

“We choose to go to the Moon”

“President Pitzer, Mr Vice President, Governor, Congressman Thomas, Senator Wiley and Congressman Miller, Mr Webb, Mr Bell, scientists, distinguished guests, and ladies and gentlemen: I appreciate your president having made me an honorary visiting professor and I will assure you that my first lecture will be very brief.

I am delighted to be here and I’m particularly delighted to be here on this occasion.

We meet at a college noted for knowledge, in a city noted for progress, in a state noted for strength and we stand in need of all three, for we meet in an hour of change and challenge, in a decade of hope and fear, in an age of both knowledge and ignorance. The greater our knowledge increases, the greater our ignorance unfolds.

Despite the striking fact that most of the scientists that the world has ever known are alive and working today, despite the fact that this nation’s own scientific manpower is doubling every 12 years in a rate of growth more than three times that of our population as a whole, despite that, the vast stretches of the unknown and the unanswered and the unfinished still far outstrip our collective comprehension.

No man can fully grasp how far and how fast we have come but condense, if you will, the 50,000 years of man’s recorded history in a timespan of but a half-century. Stated in these terms, we know very little about the first 40 years, except at the end of them advanced man had learned to use the skins of animals to cover them. Then about 10 years ago, under this standard, man emerged from his caves to construct other kinds of shelter. Only five years ago man learned to write and use a cart with wheels. Christianity began less than two years ago. The printing press came this year and then less than two months ago, during this whole 50-year span of human history, the steam engine provided a new source of power.

Newton explored the meaning of gravity. Last month electric lights and telephones and automobiles and airplanes became available. Only last week did we develop penicillin and television and nuclear power, and now if America’s new spacecraft succeeds in reaching Venus, we will have literally reached the stars before midnight tonight.

This is a breath-taking pace and such a pace cannot help but create new ills as it dispels old; new ignorance, new problems, new dangers. Surely the opening vistas of space promise high costs and hardships, as well as high reward.

So it is not surprising that some would have us stay where we are a little longer to rest, to wait. But this city of Houston, this state of Texas, this country of the United States was not built by those who waited and rested and wished to look behind them. This country was conquered by those who moved forward – and so will space.

We set sail on this new sea because there is new knowledge to be gained, and new rights to be won

William Bradford, speaking in 1630 of the founding of the Plymouth Bay Colony, said that all great and honourable 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.

Read more about the life of JFK with these features on History Extra :

• Unseen photos of John F Kennedy and family
• JFK: style over substance? [Subscription required]
• Assassination of JFK: historians explore the conspiracy theories

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 theatre 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?

Listen to episodes of the Science Focus Podcast about the Moon Landing:

• The mindset behind the Moon landing – Richard Wiseman
• Why is the Moon landing still relevant 50 years on? – Kevin Fong

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 organise 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.

In the last 24 hours we have seen facilities now being created for the greatest and most complex exploration in man’s history. We have felt the ground shake and the air shattered by the testing of a Saturn C-1 booster rocket, many times as powerful as the Atlas, which launched John Glenn, generating power equivalent to 10,000 automobiles with their accelerators on the floor. We have seen the site where the F-1 rocket engines, each one as powerful as all eight engines of the Saturn C-1 combined, will be clustered together to make the advanced Saturn V missile, assembled in a new building to be built at Cape Canaveral as tall as a 48-storey structure, as wide as a city block and as long as two lengths of this field.

Within these last 19 months at least 45 satellites have circled the Earth. Some 40 of them were ‘made in the United States of America’ and they were far more sophisticated and supplied far more knowledge to the people of the world than those of the Soviet Union.

The Mariner spacecraft now on its way to Venus is the most intricate instrument in the history of space science. The accuracy of that shot is comparable to firing a missile from Cape Canaveral and dropping it in this stadium between the 40-yard lines.

Transit satellites are helping our ships at sea to steer a safer course. TIROS [Television Infrared Observation] satellites have given us unprecedented warnings of hurricanes and storms, and will do the same for forest fires and icebergs.

We have had our failures, but so have others, even if they do not admit them. And they may be less public.

To be sure, we are behind, and will be behind for some time in manned flight. But we do not intend to stay behind, and in this decade, we shall make up and move ahead.

The growth of our science and education will be enriched by new knowledge of our Universe and environment, by new techniques of learning and mapping and observation, by new tools and computers for industry, medicine, the home as well as the school. Technical institutions, such as Rice, will reap the harvest of these gains.

And finally, the space effort itself, while still in its infancy, has already created a great number of new companies, and tens of thousands of new jobs. Space and related industries are generating new demands in investment and skilled personnel, and this city and this state, and this region, will share greatly in this growth. What was once the furthest outpost on the old frontier of the West will be the furthest outpost on the new frontier of science and space. Houston, your city of Houston, with its Manned Spacecraft Center, will become the heart of a large scientific and engineering community. During the next five years the National Aeronautics and Space Administration expects to double the number of scientists and engineers in this area, to increase its outlays for salaries and expenses to $60 million a year; to invest some $200 million in plant and laboratory facilities; and to direct or contract for new space efforts over $1 billion from this Center in this city.

We have had our failures, but so have others, even if they do not admit them

To be sure, all this costs us all a good deal of money. This year’s space budget is three times what it was in January 1961, and it is greater than the space budget of the previous eight years combined. That budget now stands at $5,400 million a year – a staggering sum, though somewhat less than we pay for cigarettes and cigars every year. Space expenditures will soon rise some more, from 40 cents per person per week to more than 50 cents a week for every man, woman and child in the United States, for we have given this programme a high national priority – even though I realise that this is in some measure an act of faith and vision, for we do not now know what benefits await us.

But if I were to say, my fellow citizens, that we shall send to the Moon, 240,000 miles away from the control station in Houston, a giant rocket more than 300-feet tall – the length of this football field – made of new metal alloys, some of which have not yet been invented, capable of standing heat and stresses several times more than have ever been experienced, fitted together with a precision better than the finest watch, carrying all the equipment needed for propulsion, guidance, control, communications, food and survival, on an untried mission, to an unknown celestial body, and then return it safely to Earth, re-entering the atmosphere at speeds of over 25,000 miles per hour, causing heat about half that of the temperature of the Sun – almost as hot as it is here today – and do all this, and do it right, and do it first before this decade is out – then we must be bold.

I’m the one who is doing all the work, so we just want you to stay cool for a minute. [Laughter]

However, I think we’re going to do it, and I think that we must pay what needs to be paid. I don’t think we ought to waste any money, but I think we ought to do the job. And this will be done in the decade of the ’60s. It may be done while some of you are still here at school at this college and university. It will be done during the term of office of some of the people who sit here on this platform. But it will be done. And it will be done before the end of this decade.

I am delighted that this university is playing a part in putting a man on the Moon as part of a great national effort of the United States of America.

Many years ago the great British explorer George Mallory, who was to die on Mount Everest, was asked why did he want to climb it. He said, “Because it is there.”

Well, space is there, and we’re going to climb it; and the Moon and the planets are there, and new hopes for knowledge and peace are there. And, therefore, as we set sail we ask God’s blessing on the most hazardous and dangerous and greatest adventure on which man has ever embarked

Thank you.”

• Delivered by President John F Kennedy on 12 September 1962 at Rice Stadium, Rice University, Houston, Texas (Pres: Kenneth Pitzer)

Privilege and public service

John Fitzgerald Kennedy was born in Massachusetts on 29 May 1917, into one of America’s richest and most influential families. He had a charmed upbringing and graduated from Harvard in 1940 before serving in the US Naval Reserve during the Second World War.

After leaving the military, he rose quickly through the political ranks and ran as the Democratic candidate in the 1960 presidential election. His successful campaign, managed by his younger brother Robert Francis Kennedy, saw him become the 35th US President and enter the White House aged just 43.

The civil rights movement along with the escalating tensions in Vietnam and the Cold War made JFK’s first two years in the White House extremely turbulent. After narrowly avoiding a nuclear conflict as a result of 1962’s Cuban Missile Crisis, he successfully negotiated the Limited Nuclear Test Ban treaty in 1963, which the US, USSR and Great Britain agreed to sign.

Controversy surrounded JFK’s private life, however, and he’s believed to have conducted a string of extramarital affairs before and during his term in office, with a list of women said to include Marilyn Monroe and Marlene Dietrich. But the greatest tragedy came on 22 November 1963 when JFK was assassinated during a visit to Dallas, Texas. Although the killing was attributed to Lee Harvey Oswald (himself killed days later by Jack Ruby), many believe Kennedy’s assassination to have been the result of a conspiracy.

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Essay on A Trip to the Moon

Students are often asked to write an essay on A Trip to the Moon in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on A Trip to the Moon

A trip to the moon is a fascinating dream. We often gaze at the moon, imagining its surface, craters, and the feeling of zero gravity.

The Journey

The journey begins in a rocket. The blast off is exciting, as we leave the Earth’s atmosphere and head towards the moon.

The Arrival

After a few days of travel, we would land on the moon. The sight of Earth from the moon is breathtakingly beautiful.

Exploring the Moon

On the moon, we would experience zero gravity, jump high, and explore craters. It would be an unforgettable adventure.

250 Words Essay on A Trip to the Moon

Introduction, preparation and journey.

Embarking on a lunar voyage requires extensive preparation. Astronauts undergo rigorous training to acclimate to the harsh realities of space travel. The journey, powered by advanced rocket technology, takes approximately three days. This is a time of anticipation, as the confines of the spacecraft offer limited diversions.

Lunar Landing

The lunar landing is a moment of triumph, marking the successful navigation of the vast expanse of space. The moon’s surface, a barren landscape punctuated by craters, presents an eerie yet fascinating sight. The low gravity, one-sixth that of Earth, necessitates a new mode of movement, a bouncing gait that is both challenging and exhilarating.

Scientific Exploration

The moon trip is not merely an adventure but a scientific expedition. Astronauts collect lunar rock samples for analysis back on Earth. These investigations have provided insights into the moon’s geological history and its relationship to Earth.

A trip to the moon is a testament to human ingenuity and the spirit of exploration. It symbolizes our ceaseless quest to understand the universe and our place within it. As we stand on the precipice of commercial lunar travel, this extraordinary journey may soon become an experience shared by more than just a select few.

500 Words Essay on A Trip to the Moon

The fascination of lunar exploration.

The moon has always held a mystical place in the history of human exploration. From the earliest days of astronomy, through the legendary Apollo missions of the 1960s and 1970s, to today’s high-tech probes, the moon continues to captivate us. This essay will explore the thrilling concept of a trip to the moon, examining the scientific, technological, and philosophical implications of such a journey.

The Journey to the Moon

Life in the lunar environment.

Upon reaching the moon, the harsh lunar environment presents its own set of challenges. The moon’s surface is a desolate expanse of craters, rocks, and dust, with a gravity only one-sixth that of Earth. Temperatures can swing to extremes, from a blistering 123 degrees Celsius during the day to a frigid -233 degrees at night. To survive, astronauts must wear specially designed spacesuits and live in habitats that can provide life-supporting conditions.

Scientific and Technological Implications

A trip to the moon is not merely a physical journey; it’s a voyage of discovery that has profound scientific and technological implications. The moon’s geology provides a record of the early solar system, offering insights into planetary formation and processes. The technological advancements required for lunar travel, such as propulsion systems, life-support systems, and communication systems, also have far-reaching implications for other sectors, including medicine, telecommunications, and energy.

The Philosophical Perspective

Conclusion: the future of lunar travel.

As we stand on the cusp of a new era of space exploration, with countries and private companies alike setting their sights on the moon, the prospect of a trip to the moon is more tantalizing than ever. Whether for scientific discovery, technological advancement, or philosophical enlightenment, a trip to the moon represents a bold step forward in our quest to understand ourselves and the universe we inhabit. As we continue to push the boundaries of human capability and knowledge, the moon remains a beacon of curiosity and wonder, reminding us of both the challenges and possibilities that lie ahead.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

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John F. Kennedy (JFK) Moon Speech Transcript: “We Choose to Go to the Moon”

President John F. Kennedy’s Moon speech on September 12, 1962 in Rice Stadium. This speech was intended to persuade the American people to support the Apollo program. It is also referred to as the “We choose to go to the Moon” speech or “Address at Rice University on the Nation’s Space Effort.”

Transcribe Your Own Content Try Rev and save time transcribing, captioning, and subtitling.

John F. Kennedy: ( 00:04 ) We meet in an hour of change and challenge, in a decade of hope and fear, in an age of both knowledge and ignorance. The greater our knowledge increases, the greater our ignorance unfolds. No man can fully grasp how far and how fast we have come. But condense, if you will, the 50,000 years of man’s recorded history in a time span of about a half a century. Stated in these terms, we know very little about the first 40 years, except at the end of them, advanced man had learned to use the skins of animals and cover them.

John F. Kennedy: ( 00:51 ) Then about 10 years ago, under this standard, man emerged from his caves to construct other kinds of shelter. Only five years ago, man learned to write and use a car with wheels. Christianity began less than two years ago. The printing press came this year. And then less than two months ago, during this whole 50 year span of human history, the steam engine provided a new source of power. Newton explored the meaning of gravity. Last month, electric lights and telephones and automobiles and airplanes became available. Only last week, we developed penicillin and television and nuclear power. This is a breathtaking pace and such a pace cannot help but create new ails as it dispels old.

John F. Kennedy: ( 01:53 ) So it is not surprising that some would have us stay where we are a little longer, to rest, to wait. If this capsuled history of our progress teaches us anything, it is that man in his quest for knowledge and progress is determined and cannot be deterred.

John F. Kennedy: ( 02:15 ) We shall send to the moon 240,000 miles away, a giant rocket, more than 300 feet tall on an untried mission to an unknown celestial body, and then return it safely to Earth. 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? We choose to go to the moon. We chose 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’re willing to accept. One we are unwilling to postpone. And therefore, as we set sail, we ask God’s blessing on the most hazardous and dangerous and greatest adventure that man has ever gone.

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10 Lines on Moon for Students and Children in English

April 20, 2023 by Prasanna

10 Lines on Moon:  The Moon or Luna is Earth’s only satellite. It is the only natural satellite that formed 4.6 billion years ago from debris generated through the collision of the planets Earth and Mars. The Moon is approximately 238000 miles away and revolves around the Earth.

The Moon is the only celestial object closet to the Moon and revolves in synchronous rotation with Earth. However, reports state that there are no air or atmosphere on the Moon; thus, no signs for any lifeforms.

The first uncrewed mission to the Moon took place in the year 1959 conducted by the Soviet Lunar Program. The first with crewed landing on the Moon being Apollo mission 11 took place in the year 1969.

The below-mentioned ten lines on Moon in English provide you with vital information to formulate paragraph writings and essays on this topic as well as a guide for competitive exams and G.K. quizzes.

You can read more  10 Lines  about articles, events, people, sports, technology many more.

Set 1 – 10 Lines on Moon for Kids

Set 1 is helpful for students of Classes 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.

• The Moon is Earth’s only natural satellite and is quarter the size of the Earth.
• The Moon’s gravity is around 1/6th of the Earth’s gravity.
• The gravitational field on the Moon is measured by the radio signals known as “Doppler shift”.
• The Moon is the only celestial body that is at the distance of 384400 km and is closest to the Earth.
• Moon is claimed to around approximately 4.53 billion old.
• Moon cannot endure water and causes photodissociation when exposed to solar radiation.
• The first mission was called the Apollo 11 in 1969 with Neil Armstrong as the first human to land on the Moon.
• The Moon takes about 27 days, 7 hours, 43 minutes, 11.6 seconds to complete one rotation around the Earth.
• In the entire Solar system, the Moon is the fifth largest satellite.
• The temperature on the Moon fluctuates between +200 to -200 degree Celsius.

Set 2 – 10 Lines on Moon for School Students

Set 2 is helpful for students of Classes 6, 7 and 8.

• The Moon takes 27.3 days to complete one rotation around the Earth.
• The Moon is the only natural satellite and is the second brightest after the sun.
• The Moon orbits the Earth with an average speed of 3700 kn per hour and from 384,400 km.
• The Moon changes its appearances in eight distinct phases, and four of its phases occur about a week apart.
• The Moon lacks atmosphere which results in the direct entry of Cosmic rays and Ultraviolet rays from the sun, thus leading to about 127 degrees Celsius during the day.
• Scientists state that Moon was formed from a collision about 4.5 years ago.
• NASA aims to build a space station on the Moon to resend a few of its scientists.
• Moon invokes the inner charm in you and thus had created Poets, and great composers reveal the charms in their fictions and composition.
• Moons undergo quakes. Unlike the Earth, the quakes on the Moon is due to the gravitational forces.
• The surface of the Moon contains lava plains, craters, valleys, and mountains formed 3.5 to 4.5 billion years ago due to meteors.

Set 3 – 10 Lines on Moon for Higher Class Students

Set 3 is helpful for students of Classes 9, 10, 11, 12 and Competitive Exams.

• The Moon lacks an atmosphere that leads to the presence of a black sky.
• The Moon has a gravity of 1.62 m/s², which is 1/6th of the Earth’s gravity.
• The Moon was formed from debris called ‘ Theia’ as a result of the collision between Mars and the Earth.
• Moon homes huge craters and mountains that were formed as a result of the collision of an asteroid or comet.
• The Moon causes a tidal force on the Earth because of its gravitational pull and results in high and low tides in water.
• The first mission to the Moon took place in the year 1959 conducted by the Soviet Lunar Program, which was an uncrewed mission.
• The first mission with crewed landing on the Moon being Apollo mission 11 took place in the year 1969, and Neil Armstrong was the first man to have stepped foot on the Moon.
• In the year 2006, NASA confirmed the existence of surface water ice on the satellite.
• India has sent two Chandrayaans to Moon, but the mission is till date.

FAQ’s 0n 10 Lines on Moon

Question 1. How old is the Moon?

Answer: Moon is claimed to around approximately 4.53 billion old.

Question 2. How was the Moon created?

Answer: The Moon was created from debris called ‘ Theia’ as a result of the collision between Mars and the Earth.

Question 3. How many missions has India sent to the Moon?

Answer: India has sent two Chandrayaans to Moon, but the mission is till date.

Question 4. How many days does a moon take around the Earth?

Answer: The Moon takes about 27 to complete one entire rotation around the Earth.

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As a speechwriter at the National Air and Space Museum, I have always been fascinated by looking at great moments in history through the lens of the speeches that were delivered to rousing applause, somber contemplation, or something in between. So, with the 50th anniversary of the first Moon landing upon us, it is interesting to look at the speeches that led to that moment.

The Soviet Union launched the first human, Yuri Gagarin, into space on April 12, 1961, beating both Alan Shepard to space and John Glenn to orbit. Within days of the Soviet achievement, President John F. Kennedy asked Vice President Lyndon Johnson to identify a “space program which promises dramatic results in which we could win.” A little over a month later, on May 25, 1961, Kennedy stood before a joint session of Congress and called for human exploration to the Moon. Unlike his later speech at Rice University, Kennedy’s address to Congress isn’t soaring rhetoric about the excitement about exploration or the significance of humanity’s first steps on the Moon. Rather, it was about why it was important that the first steps on the Moon be those of an American. He discusses the Apollo Moonshot as an important step to “win the battle that is now going on around the world between freedom and tyranny.” Moments later he declared: It is “time to take longer strides – time for a great new American enterprise –time for this nation to take a clearly leading role in space achievement, which in many ways may hold the key to our future on earth.”

The speech then laid out the path forward, should the United States embark on this journey. Achieving this goal will require the efforts of all Americans and an expense of billions of dollars. Kennedy put forth the risk and the reward, and called upon Congress to make the decision once and for all, on behalf of the American public: 

“I believe we should go to the moon. But I think every citizen of this country as well as the Members of the Congress should consider the matter carefully in making their judgment, to which we have given attention over many weeks and months, because it is a heavy burden, and there is no sense in agreeing or desiring that the United States take an affirmative position in outer space, unless we are prepared to do the work and bear the burdens to make it successful. If we are not, we should decide today and this year.”

And the decision was made: go for the Moon. Following Kennedy’s address, NASA’s budget increased by 89 percent, and then by another 101 percent the following year. The race for the Moon was on. 

(It is important to note that at the time this speech was delivered, NASA was still months away from even orbiting an astronaut. A recent blog by space history curator Michael Neufeld recounts the reaction of one NASA leader to the address: “Even through Gilruth had been part of the consultations, he was “aghast” when he heard the speech, as he contemplated such an ambitious schedule.”)

With the decision made, Kennedy now had to rally the support of the American public – after all, this was the most expensive civilian technological program in U.S. history. On September 12, 1962, he delivered his famous “We Choose to Go to the Moon” speech in front of a crowd of 40,000 at Rice University in Texas. In many ways, this speech is a masterclass in speechwriting, with its vivid pictures and soaring metaphors. Kennedy skillfully uses repetition to draw the audience in and capture the importance and urgency of the matter at hand. 

“But why, some say, the moon?” he posed. “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.” 

(JFK also knew how to play to his audience. Handwritten notes by Kennedy show that the “Why does Rice play Texas?” line was added last minute. It naturally drew great applause.)

And at the end of the speech, Kennedy returned to one of the questions he posed earlier with a short anecdote to inspire the crowd and frame the quest for the Moon as an imperative: “Many years ago the great British explorer George Mallory, who was to die on Mount Everest, was asked why did he want to climb it. He said, "Because it is there."”

The Moon was there, and it was a challenge America was ready to accept and ready to win. 

But speeches aren’t just used to rally public support. They also play an important role when responding to tragedy. And it was a somber reality that the Apollo 11 astronaut’s return from the Moon wasn’t a complete certainty. 

When Kennedy stood before Congress to lay out the Apollo Moonshot, he didn’t just speak of landing on the Moon. The goal, he articulated, was of “landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to Earth.” 

So in 1969, as President Richard Nixon’s speechwriters prepared his congratulatory remarks for the Apollo 11 mission, another speech was written in tandem. This additional set of remarks are of the sort that a speechwriter knows could be of utmost importance, but hopes will never need to see the light of day: what Nixon would say if Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin did not return from the Moon. The speech was sent in a memo from Nixon speechwriter Bill Safire to White House Chief of Staff H.R. Haldeman, titled “In Event of Moon Disaster.” 

The resulting speech is short and hauntingly beautiful. “Fate has ordained that the men who went to the moon to explore in peace will stay on the moon to rest in peace,” it begins.

In the month before the Apollo 11 launch, Apollo 8 astronaut and NASA liaison Frank Borman spoke with Safire, recommending that the West Wing be prepared in case there were problems during the lunar landing: “You’ll want to consider an alternative posture for the president in the event of mishaps.” The speech does just that: it is written in the event that Armstrong and Aldrin were stranded on the Moon. It captures the real concerns and danger that can exist when doing what once seemed impossible.  

From a personal standpoint, I was not alive during the Moon landing. I have never known a time when we hadn’t gone to the Moon or weren’t regularly sending humans into space. So for me, the existence of this speech is a stark reminder of the incredible courage it takes to launch into space on a rocket and go where no person has gone before. And it reminds me not to take for granted this incredible thing 400,000 hard-working Americans accomplished together. 

The speech is printed in full below. 

Fate has ordained that the men who went to the moon to explore in peace will stay on the moon to rest in peace. These brave men, Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin, know that there is no hope for their recovery. But they also know that there is hope for mankind in their sacrifice. These two men are laying down their lives in mankind's most noble goal: the search for truth and understanding. They will be mourned by their families and friends; they will be mourned by their nation; they will be mourned by the people of the world; they will be mourned by a Mother Earth that dared send two of her sons into the unknown. In their exploration, they stirred the people of the world to feel as one; in their sacrifice, they bind more tightly the brotherhood of man. In ancient days, men looked at stars and saw their heroes in the constellations. In modern times, we do much the same, but our heroes are epic men of flesh and blood. Others will follow, and surely find their way home. Man's search will not be denied. But these men were the first, and they will remain the foremost in our hearts. For every human being who looks up at the moon in the nights to come will know that there is some corner of another world that is forever mankind.

The original Safire Memo is in the  National Archives .

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• Celestial Bodies

The moon that we see almost every night is a natural satellite of the Earth. This means that the moon revolves around the earth on a regular path. The gravitational attraction between the earth and the natural satellite holds it in its orbit even as the moon revolves around the earth.

Being our closest celestial neighbour appears large compared to the stars . In fact, all the stars and planets are larger than the moon but are so far away that they appear very small in comparison.

The moon’s surface is covered by rocks and loose dirt which we call lunar soil. It is pockmarked with craters of different sizes because of meteorites that hit its surface. On earth, these meteorites burn up in our atmosphere before they reach the ground. But this orb of the night has no atmosphere, so it is covered with large craters. Because there is no air, there is no life on the moon. We all know that Neil Armstrong was the first person to land on this celestial body in 1969.

Phases of the Moon:

If you look up at the moon at night, you would have noticed that it changes its shape every day. This is because the heavenly body has no light of its own; it can only reflect light from the sun. Only the side of the moon which faces the sun can reflect this light and can appear bright; the other side appears dark. As this celestial body revolves around the earth we can see different amounts of the region illuminated by the sun. Thus, it appears to change its shape.

When this heavenly body is behind the earth and sun, we can see the entire illuminated portion – this is a full-moon (Paurnami). When it is between the sun and earth we can only see the dark portion and a new moon (Amavasya) occurs. Between these two extremes, we see intermediate phases such as a half-moon and crescent.

This Planetoid takes almost 27 days to revolve around the earth. But between two full moons, there are 29.5 days. This is because the earth also travels a distance through space during that time around the sun. It has to cover an extra distance (which takes 2 more days) if it has to be exactly behind the earth and sun again.

The celestial body only shows us only one side of itself. One side of it called the dark side or the far side never faces the earth. This is because the moon takes the same amount of time to rotate about its axis as it does to revolve around the earth. This is not a coincidence and occurs due to a phenomenon known as Tidal Locking. In fact, nobody had seen what the dark side looked like until 1959 when the Soviet space probe Luna 3 took a picture of it.

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The decision to go to the moon: president john f. kennedy’s may 25, 1961 speech before a joint session of congress.

Michele Ostovar

Nasa history communications lead, excerpt from the "special message to the congress on urgent national needs", section ix: space:.

On May 25, 1961, President John F. Kennedy announced before a special joint session of Congress the dramatic and ambitious goal of sending an American safely to the Moon before the end of the decade. A number of political factors affected Kennedy’s decision and the timing of it. In general, Kennedy felt great pressure to have the United States “catch up to and overtake” the Soviet Union in the “space race.” Four years after the Sputnik shock of 1957, the cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin had become the first human in space on April 12, 1961, greatly embarrassing the U.S. While Alan Shepard became the first American in space on May 5, he only flew on a short suborbital flight instead of orbiting the Earth, as Gagarin had done. In addition, the Bay of Pigs fiasco in mid-April put unquantifiable pressure on Kennedy. He wanted to announce a program that the U.S. had a strong chance at achieving before the Soviet Union. After consulting with Vice President Johnson, NASA Administrator James Webb, and other officials, he concluded that landing an American on the Moon would be a very challenging technological feat, but an area of space exploration in which the U.S. actually had a potential lead. Thus the cold war is the primary contextual lens through which many historians now view Kennedy’s speech.

The decision involved much consideration before making it public, as well as enormous human efforts and expenditures to make what became Project Apollo a reality by 1969. Only the construction of the Panama Canal in modern peacetime and the Manhattan Project in war were comparable in scope. NASA’s overall human spaceflight efforts were guided by Kennedy’s speech; Projects Mercury (at least in its latter stages), Gemini, and Apollo were designed to execute Kennedy’s goal. His goal was achieved on July 20, 1969, when Apollo 11 commander Neil Armstrong stepped off the Lunar Module’s ladder and onto the Moon’s surface.

President John F. Kennedy Delivered in person before a joint session of Congress May 25, 1961   

Finally, if we are to win the battle that is now going on around the world between freedom and tyranny, the dramatic achievements in space which occurred in recent weeks should have made clear to us all, as did the Sputnik in 1957, the impact of this adventure on the minds of men everywhere, who are attempting to make a determination of which road they should take. Since early in my term, our efforts in space have been under review. With the advice of the Vice President, who is Chairman of the National Space Council, we have examined where we are strong and where we are not, where we may succeed and where we may not. Now it is time to take longer strides—time for a great new American enterprise—time for this nation to take a clearly leading role in space achievement, which in many ways may hold the key to our future on earth.

I believe we possess all the resources and talents necessary. But the facts of the matter are that we have never made the national decisions or marshaled the national resources required for such leadership. We have never specified long-range goals on an urgent time schedule, or managed our resources and our time so as to insure their fulfillment.

Recognizing the head start obtained by the Soviets with their large rocket engines, which gives them many months of lead-time, and recognizing the likelihood that they will exploit this lead for some time to come in still more impressive successes, we nevertheless are required to make new efforts on our own. For while we cannot guarantee that we shall one day be first, we can guarantee that any failure to make this effort will make us last. We take an additional risk by making it in full view of the world, but as shown by the feat of astronaut Shepard, this very risk enhances our stature when we are successful. But this is not merely a race. Space is open to us now; and our eagerness to share its meaning is not governed by the efforts of others. We go into space because whatever mankind must undertake, free men must fully share.

I therefore ask the Congress, above and beyond the increases I have earlier requested for space activities, to provide the funds which are needed to meet the following national goals:

First, I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the earth. No single space project in this period will be more impressive to mankind, or more important for the long-range exploration of space; and none will be so difficult or expensive to accomplish. We propose to accelerate the development of the appropriate lunar space craft. We propose to develop alternate liquid and solid fuel boosters, much larger than any now being developed, until certain which is superior. We propose additional funds for other engine development and for unmanned explorations—explorations which are particularly important for one purpose which this nation will never overlook: the survival of the man who first makes this daring flight. But in a very real sense, it will not be one man going to the moon—if we make this judgment affirmatively, it will be an entire nation. For all of us must work to put him there.

Secondly, an additional 23 million dollars, together with 7 million dollars already available, will accelerate development of the Rover nuclear rocket. This gives promise of some day providing a means for even more exciting and ambitious exploration of space, perhaps beyond the moon, perhaps to the very end of the solar system itself.

Third, an additional 50 million dollars will make the most of our present leadership, by accelerating the use of space satellites for world-wide communications.

Fourth, an additional 75 million dollars—of which 53 million dollars is for the Weather Bureau—will help give us at the earliest possible time a satellite system for world-wide weather observation.

Let it be clear—and this is a judgment which the Members of the Congress must finally make—let it be clear that I am asking the Congress and the country to accept a firm commitment to a new course of action, a course which will last for many years and carry very heavy costs: 531 million dollars in fiscal ’62—an estimated seven to nine billion dollars additional over the next five years. If we are to go only half way, or reduce our sights in the face of difficulty, in my judgment it would be better not to go at all.

Now this is a choice which this country must make, and I am confident that under the leadership of the Space Committees of the Congress, and the Appropriating Committees, that you will consider the matter carefully.

It is a most important decision that we make as a nation. But all of you have lived through the last four years and have seen the significance of space and the adventures in space, and no one can predict with certainty what the ultimate meaning will be of mastery of space.

I believe we should go to the moon. But I think every citizen of this country as well as the Members of the Congress should consider the matter carefully in making their judgment, to which we have given attention over many weeks and months, because it is a heavy burden, and there is no sense in agreeing or desiring that the United States take an affirmative position in outer space, unless we are prepared to do the work and bear the burdens to make it successful. If we are not, we should decide today and this year.

This decision demands a major national commitment of scientific and technical manpower, materiel and facilities, and the possibility of their diversion from other important activities where they are already thinly spread. It means a degree of dedication, organization and discipline which have not always characterized our research and development efforts. It means we cannot afford undue work stoppages, inflated costs of material or talent, wasteful interagency rivalries, or a high turnover of key personnel.

New objectives and new money cannot solve these problems. They could in fact, aggravate them further—unless every scientist, every engineer, every serviceman, every technician, contractor, and civil servant gives his personal pledge that this nation will move forward, with the full speed of freedom, in the exciting adventure of space.

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John F. Kennedy: Why the Moon? Reading Comprehension Activity

President John F. Kennedy set an ambitious goal in 1961 that America would land on the moon before the end of the decade. In this passage from a speech he gave in 1962, President Kennedy reaffirmed his commitment that the U.S. be first in the exploration of space. Students will read the selection and answer questions on the figurative language and the main idea.

Topic(s): History, Political Writings. Skill(s): Figurative Language, Main / Central Idea. Genre(s): Speech

Click for the passage & questions on one printable PDF.

On September 12, 1962, President John F. Kennedy delivered a speech at Rice University in Houston, Texas. His remarks are a continuation of a promise he made in 1961 to put a man on the moon before the end of the decade. The promise was kept when on July 20, 1969, American astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin became the first humans to land on the moon. Below is part of President Kennedy’s speech. His reference, “Why does Rice play Texas?” refers to Rice University playing football against the University of Texas at Austin.

=======================

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.

1. Explain the metaphor in the speech that compares the sea to space.

2. Find one example of alliteration in the speech.

3. Based on this speech passage, how does President Kennedy view space?

4. Explain what he means when he says, “For space science, like nuclear science and all technology, has no conscience of its own.”

Example of correct answer: The sea and space are both places that are unfamiliar habitats for humans, so both must be explored.

Example of correct answer: “feeding the fires of war”

Example of correct answer: He views it as a neutral place where there is no war or conflict. Space presents many opportunities and challenges, but it is important for expanding human knowledge.

Example of correct answer: Science is based solely on facts, not on judgments of right and wrong or good and evil. It is up to humans to take the knowledge science gives us and use it for good purposes.

Get the passage & questions on one printable PDF.

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Why Choose the Moon?

About this resource.

Download this lesson plan , including handouts, in pdf format.

Goals/Rationale:  Students will examine President Kennedy’s 1961 decision to send a man to the Moon by reading a letter written to the president by 13-year-old Mary Lou Reitler. Students will consider arguments in support of and opposition to using federal funds for space exploration both in the context of 1961 and the current debate on funding for NASA.

Essential Question:  How much money should the federal government devote to space exploration?

Students will:

• consider the costs related to space exploration in the 1960s and the decision to send a man to the Moon.
• identify the main idea of two primary source letters.
• evaluate two competing positions, construct a generalization, and use evidence from primary source documents to support their statement in an essay.

Preparation

Prior Knowledge and Skills

Students should have general background knowledge of Cold War tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union.

Historical Background and Context

On May 25, 1961, President John F. Kennedy made a special address to Congress on Urgent National Needs and asked Congress to dedicate $7-9 billion dollars to the space program. The United States, he declared, needed “to take a clearly leading role in space achievement” and “commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to the earth.” The mission was clear: the United States must go to the Moon.

President Kennedy made this request one month after the Soviet Union had sent the first man into space. The Soviet success suggested that the United States was falling behind in the arms race and fueled new tensions between the two nations entwined in a bitter Cold War. Space was the latest theater for battling the Cold War and provided an opportunity for the United States to promote leadership and demonstrate the technological advances of a free and democratic society. In order to do that, the United States needed to reach the Moon before the Soviet Union.

To achieve this end, Congress appropriated the funding for NASA’s Apollo lunar landing program. It took eight years of work and sacrifice, including the loss of three astronauts in a fire aboard Apollo 1, but President Kennedy’s goal was finally achieved on July 20, 1969 when Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first men to walk on the Moon as part of the Apollo 11 mission.

From the very moment President Kennedy made his intentions clear, people began to debate the necessity of space exploration. The wonders of exploring the unknown and promise of potentially life-altering technological advances were tempered by thoughts that life would be most improved by focusing on immediate concerns on earth such as the struggle for civil rights, domestic anti-poverty programs, and, as time went on, increasing US involvement in Vietnam.

This lesson examines the public debate over the space program through the eyes of a 13-year-old girl. In 1962, eighth grader Mary Lou Reitler wrote a letter to President Kennedy articulating her opposition to the space program. Although President Kennedy did not personally respond to her letter, Myer Feldman, the Deputy Special Counsel to the President, wrote back, addressing Ms. Reitler’s concerns and detailing the president’s views on the importance of space exploration. Through their analysis of these letters and additional information about the costs and benefits related to the Apollo program, students will consider the merits of federally funded space exploration and take a position in support of or in opposition to President Kennedy’s decision to go to the Moon. This lesson includes an extension where students can also examine the current debate on space policy in relation to the 1960s.

• Overview/Rice University Speech
• Letter from Mary Lou Reitler to President Kennedy, January 19, 1962
• Response from Myer Feldman, Deputy Special Counsel to the President, to Mary Lou Reitler, March 29, 1962
• Graphic Organizer
• “Other Things to Consider”
• Assessment Worksheet
• Audio or video of President Kennedy’s Rice University Speech , September 12, 1962 [The entire speech is 17 minutes and 41 seconds long. A good excerpt to use would be about halfway through the speech starting with the paragraph “We set sail on this new sea…” If you are unable to access audiovisual materials in your classroom or wish to shorten the lesson, an excerpt from the speech is provided on the student handout.]

This lesson uses a letter written by 13-year-old Mary Lou Reitler to President Kennedy, and the White House’s response, to examine some of the reasons given in support of and in opposition to President Kennedy’s decision to send a man to the Moon. Students use these letters, as well as additional information on the space program, to construct their own position on federally funded space exploration. This lesson consists of three parts and an assessment.

Part I: Anticipatory Set

• What does President Kennedy want to do?
• What is President Kennedy’s tone in this speech?
• What words or phrases does he emphasize?
• Why do you think the president is emphasizing this topic at this time?
• After discussing President Kennedy’s speech, have students read the historical overview on the student handout either individually or a class read-aloud. [You could also have students read this overview before listening to Kennedy’s speech.]
• Highlight the point that the decision to go to the Moon in 1961 was controversial and that Americans disagreed on the subject.

Part II: Correspondence between Mary Lou Reitler and Myer Feldman

• What is Mary Lou’s reaction to the decision to send a man to the Moon?
• What are the reasons that Mary Lou gives to defend her position?
• How does Myer Feldman respond to Mary Lou’s letter?
• What are the reasons that Myer Feldman uses to defend his position?
• Once students have recorded their observations on the Reitler and Feldman letters, ask students to brainstorm additional reasons in support of or opposition to spending federal money on the space program.
• Have students look at the handout “Other Things to Consider” for additional ideas. This handout provides a chronology of other events that were going on at the same time as the Apollo program, statistics about the cost of the Apollo program, and a list of technological advances attributed to the Apollo program.

Part III: Debating the Decision to Go to the Moon

Have a class discussion about the pros and cons of space exploration. You may want students to consider the following questions:

• What arguments did Reitler and Feldman make in support of and in opposition to the decision to send a man to the Moon?
• Who makes a better argument in their letter: Mary Lou Reitler or Myer Feldman? Why?
• Where do you think Mary Lou got her ideas from? Why might she be thinking about space? Is there an issue that you feel strong enough about to write to the president?
• What did you notice about the tone of both of the letters? Did it surprise you that Feldman’s letter was so respectful towards Mary Lou’s letter?
• Why do you think it was so important for President Kennedy to focus on space and sending a man to the Moon?
• In the Rice University speech, President Kennedy says that going to the Moon is a challenge “which we intend to win” and vows that the Moon will not be “governed by a hostile flag of conquest.” What other issue do you think he is referring to in those statements? To what extent is the Cold War related to the decision to send a man to the Moon? (In September 1962, President Kennedy was aware of the increasing Soviet military buildup in Cuba and a month later the two nations would be engaged in the Cuban Missile Crisis. This tension is evident in this speech.)
• How much did it cost to send a man to the Moon?
• What were some of the other issues going on during the 1960s that required attention and/or federal funding?
• What advances came about as a result of the Apollo program?
• Is it important to explore outer space?
• Should the federal government spend money on the space program?
• Who decides how federal money is spent in the United States?
• There is a similar debate about space exploration today. President Trump recommended accelerating the US space program, returning astronauts to the Moon as a major step before an eventual trip to Mars. This would require increased government spending.
• In what ways do Mary Lou Reitler’s and Myer Feldman’s comments apply today?
• Do you think the United States should continue to fund the space program today?

This assessment can be done in class, as a homework assignment, or modified as an “exit ticket.” Students should complete the following writing prompt:

It is May 1961 and you are a member of Congress. Write a statement to your constituents about your position on President Kennedy’s decision to send a man to the Moon. In your statement, tell your voters if you plan to support or oppose President Kennedy’s request to give more money to NASA and explain your position on space exploration. Use the letters written by Mary Lou Reitler and Myer Feldman, as well as the ideas you brainstormed and any additional information, to support your position.

Lesson Extension

As President Kennedy’s speech at Rice University suggests, the decision to go to the Moon and the space program were motivated, in part, by the Cold War tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union. Have students conduct further research on this topic to consider the impact of the Cold War on the space program.

Connections to Curricula (Standards)  

National History Standards - US History, Era 9: Postwar United States (1945 to early 1970s)

• 1C: The student understands how postwar science augmented the nation’s economic strength, transformed daily life, and influenced the world economy. 5-12: Assess the significance of research and scientific breakthroughs in promoting the US space program. [Examine the influence of ideas]
• Standard 2: How the Cold War and conflicts in Korea and Vietnam influenced domestic and international politics
• Standard 3: Domestic policies after World War II

National History Standards - Historical Thinking Standards 

• B. Reconstruct the literal meaning of a historical passage.
• A. Consider multiple perspectives.
• B. Compare and contrast differing sets of ideas.

Common Core State Standards

• ELA College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards for Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening, and Language
• ELA – Reading Informational Texts, Writing, Speaking and Listening, Language, and Literacy in History/Social Studies for grades 6-8.

C3 Framework for Social Studies State Standards

• Discipline 1 - Developing questions and planning inquiries;
• Discipline 2 - Applying disciplinary concepts and tools (History and Civics)
• Discipline 3 - Evaluating sources and using evidence; and
• Discipline 4 - Communicating conclusions and taking informed action

  National Council of Teachers of English : Standards 1,3,5,6,7,8,9, and 12

Massachusetts History and Social Science Curriculum Framework

• USII.T5: United States and globalization 
• WHII.T5: The Cold War Era, 1945-1991

Massachusetts English Language Arts Framework

• Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening, and Language

Additional Resources

National Aeronautics and Space Administration   NASA provides a wide range of educator resources on the Apollo program and current NASA projects.

National Archives and Records Administration This NARA web page provides links to information about the United States’ spaceflight programs, including NASA missions and the astronauts who have participated in the efforts to explore space.

“We choose to go to the Moon”

"We choose to go to the Moon", officially titled the address at Rice University on the nation's space effort, is a September 12, 1962, speech by United States President John F. Kennedy to further inform the public about his plan to land a man on the Moon before 1970.

President Pitzer, Mr. Vice President, Governor, Congressman Thomas, Senator Wiley, and Congressman Miller, Mr. Webb, Mr. Bell, scientists, distinguished guests, and ladies and gentlemen:

I appreciate your president having made me an honorary visiting professor, and I will assure you that my first lecture will be very brief.

I am delighted to be here, and I’m particularly delighted to be here on this occasion.

We meet at a college noted for knowledge, in a city noted for progress, in a state noted for strength, and we stand in need of all three, for we meet in an hour of change and challenge, in a decade of hope and fear, in an age of both knowledge and ignorance. The greater our knowledge increases, the greater our ignorance unfolds.

Despite the striking fact that most of the scientists that the world has ever known are alive and working today, despite the fact that this nation’s own scientific manpower is doubling every 12 years in a rate of growth more than three times that of our population as a whole, despite that, the vast stretches of the unknown and the unanswered and the unfinished still far outstrip our collective comprehension. 

No man can fully grasp how far and how fast we have come, but condense, if you will, the 50,000 years of man’s recorded history in a time span of but a half-century. Stated in these terms, we know very little about the first 40 years, except at the end of them advanced man had learned to use the skins of animals to cover them. Then about 10 years ago, under this standard, man emerged from his caves to construct other kinds of shelter. Only five years ago man learned to write and use a cart with wheels. Christianity began less than two years ago. The printing press came this year, and then less than two months ago, during this whole 50-year span of human history, the steam engine provided a new source of power. 

Newton explored the meaning of gravity. Last month electric lights and telephones and automobiles and airplanes became available. Only last week did we develop penicillin and television and nuclear power, and now if America’s new spacecraft succeeds in reaching Venus, we will have literally reached the stars before midnight tonight.

This is a breathtaking pace, and such a pace cannot help but create new ills as it dispels old, new ignorance, new problems, new dangers. Surely the opening vistas of space promise high costs and hardships, as well as high reward. 

So it is not surprising that some would have us stay where we are a little longer to rest, to wait. But this city of Houston, this State of Texas, this country of the United States was not built by those who waited and rested and wished to look behind them. This country was conquered by those who moved forward — and so will space. 

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 may 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. 

In the last 24 hours, we have seen facilities now being created for the greatest and most complex exploration in man’s history. We have felt the ground shake and the air shattered by the testing of a Saturn C-1 booster rocket, many times as powerful as the Atlas which launched John Glenn, generating power equivalent to 10,000 automobiles with their accelerators on the floor. We have seen the site where five F-1 rocket engines, each one as powerful as all eight engines of the Saturn combined, will be clustered together to make the advanced Saturn missile, assembled in a new building to be built at Cape Canaveral as tall as a 48-story structure, as wide as a city block, and as long as two lengths of this field.

Within these last 19 months at least 45 satellites have circled the earth. Some 40 of them were “made in the United States of America,” and they were far more sophisticated and supplied far more knowledge to the people of the world than those of the Soviet Union.

The Mariner spacecraft now on its way to Venus is the most intricate instrument in the history of space science. The accuracy of that shot is comparable to firing a missile from Cape Canaveral and dropping it in this stadium between the 40-yard lines.

Transit satellites are helping our ships at sea to steer a safer course. Tiros satellites have given us unprecedented warnings of hurricanes and storms, and will do the same for forest fires and icebergs.

We have had our failures, but so have others, even if they do not admit them. And they may be less public.

To be sure, we are behind, and will be behind for some time in manned flight. But we do not intend to stay behind, and in this decade, we shall make up and move ahead.

The growth of our science and education will be enriched by new knowledge of our universe and environment, by new techniques of learning and mapping and observation, by new tools and computers for industry, medicine, the home as well as the school. Technical institutions, such as Rice, will reap the harvest of these gains.

And finally, the space effort itself, while still in its infancy, has already created a great number of new companies, and tens of thousands of new jobs. Space and related industries are generating new demands in investment and skilled personnel, and this city and this state, and this region, will share greatly in this growth. What was once the furthest outpost on the old frontier of the West will be the furthest outpost on the new frontier of science and space. Houston, your city of Houston, with its Manned Spacecraft Center, will become the heart of a large scientific and engineering community. During the next five years the National Aeronautics and Space Administration expects to double the number of scientists and engineers in this area, to increase its outlays for salaries and expenses to $60 million a year; to invest some $200 million in plant and laboratory facilities; and to direct or contract for new space efforts over $1 billion from this center in this city.

To be sure, all of this costs us all a good deal of money. This year’s space budget is three times what it was in January 1961, and it is greater than the space budget of the previous eight years combined. That budget now stands at $5,400,000 a year — a staggering sum, though somewhat less than we pay for cigarettes and cigars every year. Space expenditures will soon rise some more, from 40 cents per person per week to more than 50 cents a week for every man, woman and child in the United States, for we have given this program a high national priority — even though I realize that this is in some measure an act of faith and vision, for we do not now know what benefits await us. 

But if I were to say, my fellow citizens, that we shall send to the moon, 240,000 miles away from the control station in Houston, a giant rocket more than 300 feet tall, the length of this football field, made of new metal alloys, some of which have not yet been invented, capable of standing heat and stresses several times more than have ever been experienced, fitted together with a precision better than the finest watch, carrying all the equipment needed for propulsion, guidance, control, communications, food and survival, on an untried mission, to an unknown celestial body, and then return it safely to Earth, re-entering the atmosphere at speeds of over 25,000 miles per hour, causing heat about half that of the temperature of the sun — almost as hot as it is here today — and do all this, and do it right, and do it first before this decade is out — then we must be bold. 

I’m the one who is doing all the work, so we just want you to stay cool for a minute. [laughter]

However, I think we’re going to do it, and I think that we must pay what needs to be paid. I don’t think we ought to waste any money, but I think we ought to do the job. And this will be done in the decade of the sixties. It may be done while some of you are still here at school at this college and university. It will be done during the term of office of some of the people who sit here on this platform. But it will be done. And it will be done before the end of this decade.

I am delighted that this university is playing a part in putting a man on the moon as part of a great national effort of the United States of America.

Many years ago, the great British explorer George Mallory, who was to die on Mount Everest, was asked why did he want to climb it? He said, “Because it is there.” 

Well, space is there, and we’re going to climb it, and the moon and the planets are there, and new hopes for knowledge and peace are there. And, therefore, as we set sail we ask God’s blessing on the most hazardous and dangerous and greatest adventure on which man has ever embarked. 

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• Words: 1724

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The Moon Speech Analysis

During the sixties American society was known to be a both scholarly and popular cultural period. A lot of countries around the world were still recovering from World War II. In Europe their social class structure was destroyed during the war and by the beginning of the 1960s many working-class people could afford common household items that were becoming popular at the time like, radios, televisions, and refrigerators. While America was in a tense situation regarding civil rights in the early 1960s, many Americans felt as though the rest of the world was improving and thriving while America was at somewhat of a standstill. President John F. Kennedy was elected in 1961 and was entering office during a complex time, a time that was in desperate need of hope for prospering through the poor economy of the post-war 1950s. Kennedy gave a speech in 1962 known now as the “Moon Speech” in Houston, Texas. This speech was given purely to give hope to the American people with no actual evidence that the National Aeronautics and Space Council could achieve placing a man on the moon; before the Soviet Union.

Although this speech is known to be one of Kennedy’s more famous and moving speeches, it somehow works hardly any logos present. Even without the evidence that it was fiscally and logistically possible, this speech instilled hope, and reminded Americans of their freedoms to choose their destiny as they wished through his focus on pathos and his delivery of the speech. John F. Kennedy’s “Moon Speech” was given on September 12th, 1962 at Rice University in Houston, Texas. Most of the speech consists of Kennedy recalling the history and discoveries of mankind. He made statements regarding 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.

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Statements like this were what instilled hope into the audience and nation that America would not fall behind on the innovations of the times and would push forward and be a leading nation in the Space Race with the Soviet Union. To put it into perspective better “Kennedy condensed 50,000 years of human history into an allegorical half century”. Declaring that at the pace which technology, knowledge and discovery has evolved then “10 years ago, under this standard, man emerged from his caves”. This analogy undoubtedly excited the audience and helped them understand how they were living in a time of rapid development, and change. Even though Kennedy was half way into his speech and hadn’t addressed a plan of action. Putting a man on the moon was one of Kennedy’s main focuses during the beginning of his presidency and he was extremely passionate about the topic and that shone through in his speech. This speech gave America a purpose and a goal to support and someday achieve. At the time the Soviet Union had successfully launched the first artificial satellite into space about four years prior.

Also, Yuri Gagarin was the first man in space which occurred before the United States could even launch its first Project Mercury astronaut. Kennedy was under an extreme amount of stress after seeing the Soviet Union progressing so much, and because of the recent Bay of Pigs fiasco. This much stress on a President can lower the ethos when it comes to his speeches but in the Moon Speech he restores that ethos at the beginning of the speech. The chief of NASA at the time was James E. Webb, who at the time of the speech, told Lyndon B. Johnson, the Vice President, that there was no chance of beating the Russians to launching a space station, and it was uncertain as to whether NASA could orbit a man around the moon. The main purpose of Kennedy’s speech was to rally support for the mission to the moon. The space program was granted a budget three times what it was in January of 1961 when Kennedy was elected, which showed that the government was more than supporting this goal and that the people should, too.

Yet no factual data or plans had been disclosed to the people at the time as to how NASA was going to proceed on getting a man to the moon, because there was no actual plan in place. Even though this speech lacked in logical inferences and rational reasonings, the speech was overwhelmingly passionate, well spoken, and influential because of his heavy appeal to pathos. Throughout the process, attempt after attempt of sending a man to the moon after John F. Kennedys speech the public was kept in the dark. Between NASA bureaucrats, public relations’ practitioners and the journalists who covered the progress, there was a competitive aspect to it depending on how each released information to the public. All applying different strategies to deliver the ground-breaking exploration of Last Frontier. The American people feared the developments especially after the Apollo 1 tragedy. Yet the public still held Kennedys words close and retained their faith in the Last Frontier movement even after the failed attempts.

This speech was analyzed using Neo-Aristotelian method of criticism. According to Herbert A. Wilchens, literary criticism is “concerned with effect…It regards a speech as communication to a specific audience and holds its business to be the analysis and appreciation of the orators method of imparting his ideas to his hearers”. Wilchens contributed the three major categories of analysis to Neo-Aristotelian analysis. This method consists of applying the five canons, invention, arrangement, style, memory (not used all the time), and delivery. This is used to analyze speeches like John F. Kennedy’s “Moon Speech”. Through the analysis the different pieces that work together to make the speech effective will be broken down into sections to more closely identify the purpose. Through close analysis and applying the canons to this speech, John F. Kennedy balanced his lack of logos with his generous amount of ethos and pathos. First looking at the invention of the speech concerning the artistic proofs, Kennedy appealed to the audience’s sense of identity, their self-interest, and their emotions through pathos.

He shows this when he states, “we meet at a college noted for knowledge, in a city noted for progress, in a state noted for strength”. His genuine passion on the goal of making it to the moon is a driving factor in his speech. Kennedy’s ethos was pre-existing, meaning that his credibility was already formed before he even walked onto the stage although he had diminished his ethos with the recent Pigs of Bay tragedy. Through all the pressing issues, Kennedy was a reliable president even after recent economic and political events. Kennedy utilizes sparse logos through the points he makes about the cost of sending a man to the moon and the logistics of it. Kennedy realizes how expensive it would be to complete this mission and he has even expanded the budget. Even though Kennedy did not present any factual data surrounding the plan to send a man to the moon, rather he enthralls the audience with vivid details as to how we as a country would go about it. He arranges this speech in a specific manner. He begins by praising the audience and the people of America in general.

He then moves to his analogy of the progression of mankind, while looking forward to how many more steps can be taken and taken within a decade. Afterwards, he starts listing the logistical visions of how America would go about being the first country to put someone on the moon. And he concludes with, well, space is there, and we’re going to climb it, and the moon and the planets are there, and new hopes for knowledge and peace are there. And, therefore, as we set sail we ask God’s blessing on the most hazardous and dangerous and greatest adventure on which man has ever embarked. His wording in this excerpt has a friendly and powerful style. This style is important for what he envisioned achieving because statements like this are what reassured the audience in place of a set plan. He ended his speech reassuring the country that his intentions are not for political gain or for his own personal gain, but its for the progression of knowledge.

This arrangement technique draws the audience in with the skillful analogy which builds up the anticipation of the announcement and gets the important information in while he has the audience’s full attention. As far as style is concerned, J.F.K only uses the one analogy of mankind and his word choice to sway the audience. As seen above he uses phrases such as, “my fellow citizens”, “we’ve had our failures”, and the constant use of “we” when he refers to the country are all extremely important when a president is giving a speech. Kennedy’s delivery of this speech was extremely passionate and well done. Quintilian stated that rhetoric is a “good man speaking well” (Foss, 2018). Kennedy equals his genuine words with a strong stance and impactful speaking techniques. His delivery was successful in the use of rhetoric to influence the country that it was possible for America to make it to the moon first.

After the close analysis of the “Moon Speech”, certain aspects of the speech come to light and show how the speech truly works. Kennedy balanced his logos out with extra pathos and ethos throughout the speech to reassure the audience that he was taking care of what he needed to make the moon landing possible. He also arranged his speech in a captivating way that grabbed the audience’s attention from the beginning. His word choice and analogy work hand in hand with his arrangement to capture the audience. All these pieces work hand in hand to make his speech so successful through the hard times the country was going through and with his lack of physical proof of steps taken to improve Americas place in the Space Race. Kennedy’s delivery was a key aspect to his execution of his speech. He is known to be an extremely persuasive and motivational speaker and this speech proves that true.

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Speech Topics - 100s of them!

By:  Susan Dugdale   | Last modified: 01-10-2023

Speech ideas ordered by speech type & theme 

So you're preparing to give a speech.

The next step, unless you've been told or you've already decided for yourself, is choosing a topic.

What will you talk about?  There are literally so many possibilities.

To make choosing a subject easier, here's a collection of speech topic suggestions arranged either by speech type,  age group or theme. 

• Demonstration speech topics  (5 pages: 738 + topics)
• Speech topics for kids  (2 pages: 150 + topics)
• Persuasive topics  (6 pages: 998+ topics)

125 examples of narrative speech topics

• 60 vocal variety and body language topics

145 good cause and effect topics for students

• Fun public speaking topics  (2 pages:165 topics)
• 180+ interesting topics for students  (1 page: 180 + topics)
• Good informative speech topics  (1 page: 100s of topics)
• Commemorative speech topic ideas  (1 page: themes)
• Argumentative/controversial speech topics  (1 page: 290 topics)
• Easter themed speech topics  (1 page: 32 topics)
• Impromptu speech topics  (4 pages: 570 topics)
• Printable impromptu speech topics  (98 proverbs or quotations ready-to-go)

Teacher or student, these lists are for you.

I hope they're useful! Happy speaking, Susan

Demonstration speech ideas

These are the 'show and tell' or 'how to' speeches where you demonstrate a skill, make something, or explain how something works. Think of these speeches as stepping through a process from beginning to end, showing and explaining every step of the way.

The goal of them is often to inspire those listening to try whatever is being shown for themselves.

I have five pages of topics specifically selected because they are good for demonstration speeches. You'll see the lists are adaptable to meet the needs of people of middle school age and upwards.

• 290 themed 'how to' demonstration speech ideas   
• 6 themed demonstration topic lists using the magic of 'how'
• 50 soft skill 'how to' demonstrative speech topics
• 100+ 10-minute, or less, demonstration speech topics
• 188 funny how-to speech topics

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Speech topics for kids

I've got two pages of speech topics especially chosen with children in mind. They're mainly for kids in the middle school age bracket (11 - 14 years old) but are readily adaptable for those either younger or older.

Both pages are really useful if you're a teacher or parent looking for inspiration! I've carefully put together lists covering social/community issues, arts and culture, sports and games, food, fun and whimsy, hobbies, and more. 

-  8 themed lists of speech topics for children

- 50+ elocution topics for kids

Persuasive speech topics

Convince me!

Change my mind!

Challenge my thinking!

Convert me!

And, if appropriate, make me laugh!

Whatever topic you choose you will be expected to take a position on it and persuade your audience to consider what you're saying about it seriously.

For example:

'To be vegan is the only right, and moral way to live.'

'Good or right thinking is a matter of opinion.' 

My six persuasive speech topic pages are below.

• 50 good persuasive speech topics
• 5 0+ persuasive speech topic ideas
• 105 fun persuasive speech topics
• 309 easy persuasive speech topics
• 310 persuasive speech topics for college
• 108 feminist persuasive speech topics

125 strong ideas for effective story telling speeches, preparation guidelines, plus a printable narrative speech outline.

If you're looking for suggestions for the Toastmasters Level Three Project 'Connect with storytelling' these will get you off to a great start.

Go to: 125 examples of narrative speech topics

60 vocal variety & body language topics

60 speech topic ideas to help you work with body language and gesture. They're perfect for evocative personal storytelling speeches or for either of these Toastmasters Pathway projects:

• Level 2: Learning Your Style: Effective Body Language or,
• Level 1:  Mastering Fundamentals: Vocal Variety and Body Language

Go to 6 0 vocal variety and body language speech topics

Cause and effect topics for speeches and essays to challenge, connect and make a difference. With explanations, examples and a free printable blank fish bone diagram, (an extremely useful visual cause and effect analytical tool), to download for your own use.

Go to 145 good cause and effect topics

Fun public speaking topics

They're silly; deliberately daft and ridiculous!

These speech topics focus on light-hearted nonsense, tilting the world side-ways, giving your audience a glimpse of it funny side-up.

Gems include:

• 'How to procrastinate like a professional',
• 'How to look innocent',
• 'Why lying can be useful', ...

Go on. Make them snort with laughter. Visit:

• 60 fun public speaking topics for kids of all ages 
• 1 88 funny how-to speech topics

180 + interesting speech topic ideas

Here's a page of topic suggestions encouraging people to push beyond ordinary.

There's a bundle of 50 ideas around the growing influence of social media, a collection of 45 thought provoking suggestions centered on your very own community and family history, 61 'weird' topics, and more. 

You only need ONE truly bright and original idea, right?

Have a look here for it.

There are  180  interesting speech topic ideas   to browse through. 

Good informative speech topics

An informative speech does what its title says: it informs. It gives the facts about the topic. Not people's feelings about the subject - just the facts.

Informational speech topic possibilities are quite truly endless.  Use my page as a beginning to set your own creative juices in motion.

Visit:  100s of good informational speech topics

Commemorative speech topic ideas

A commemorative or tribute speech honors the memory of  a person, a group, an institution, a thing, an event or an idea.

Use this  commemorative speech topic helper  page (and its resource links) to identify the right topic and theme to match the event you've been asked to speak at.

239 controversial or argumentative speech topics

These topics are deliberately provocative. They cover four broad areas affecting us all: the food we eat, our children (from infancy through to teenage years), and the communities/countries we live in.

In addition to the 239 topics there are comprehensive guidelines about choosing the best topic: one fitting yourself and your audience. 

Find yourself a controversial speech topic .

Note: these topics are best suited for high school and college students.

32 Easter themed speech topics

Easter - what is its history? What are the special days, like Palm Sunday, all about? What do bunnies and chocolate eggs have to do with it? Why does the White House have a tradition of egg-rolling as part of its Easter celebrations?

Use this page of 32  Easter speech topic possibilities  to find an idea for an inspirational  demonstration or an interesting informative speech.

Impromptu speech topics

Help! I have a class and need lots of impromptu speech topics for them to practice with.

You've got them here. I have four pages of topics for impromptu speeches.

You'll find them suitable for middle school and upwards. They're great for public speaking clubs too.

• 200 impromptu speech topics
• 150 1 minute speech topics - with sample speech outlines, speeches: full text & audio
• 11 themed sets of fun topics for impromptu speeches
• 80+ themed table topic questions, with printables   

And last, but not least there's ...

98 printable impromptu speech topic cards, an almost* instantly available resource for busy public speaking teachers.

If you're time-poor and need a grab-and-go solution to your "HELP! I want speech topics for my public speaking class, and I need them now" problem, check these out.

Printable Impromptu Speech Topic Cards

* It'll take you 5 minutes to select the set you want, (proverbs or quotations), pay, and have it downloaded ready for printing. You'll be getting 98 themed speech topic cards - a great reusable resource for $4.75.

& One Minute Speeches!

Another almost instantly available resource.

A fun and hugely effective impromptu speaking activity. You get topics + instructions for the core activity, plus three advanced variations for $5.95. Take a look - One Minute Speeches .

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