Question

Read the following excerpt from John F. Kennedy's "Address at Rice University on the Nation's Space Effort" Then, respond to the question that follows. 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

Answer 1

After the Soviet Union's early successes in space, President John F. Kennedy strongly advocated for the United States to lead the space race, culminating in the moon landing of 1969 and advancements in related technologies, contributing to American global leadership.

Step-by-step explanation:

President John F. Kennedy's commitment to space exploration was a defining element of his presidency and played a pivotal role in the Cold War era. Following the Soviet Union's lead with the launch of Sputnik and Yuri Gagarin's orbit around Earth, Kennedy vowed to excel in the space race.

He declared that the United States would land a man on the moon by the end of the 1960s, a goal which was achieved on July 20, 1969, when Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin set foot on the moon. NASA's developments during this period also spurred advancements in long-range missiles and beneficial technologies for industries like aviation and communication, signifying American technological prowess.