To win the space race, NASA had to develop space flight technology, train astronauts—and market the moon to the American public.
Most remember the space race of the 1960s as a moment of rare national unity around the cause of scientific exploration. Public opinion polls from the 1960s show that the majority of Americans approved of Project Apollo, but the nation was deeply divided over the cost of the program. To win the space race, NASA would have to market the moon to the American public.
Today NASA is using new tools to communicate its mission to the public—and private companies are marketing their plans for space exploration.
Learn more in CHASING THE MOON. Find more history, as well as where to watch the full documentary: https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/films/chasing-moon/
