The space race between the Americans and Soviets began at the end of the 1950s, against the backdrop of the Cold War. After a string of successful space flights by the USSR, The United States responded by forming NASA, and launching the Mercury space program. The goal was to catch up with the Russians and send a man into space. Mercury's astronauts became the new American heroes.

America pulled out all the stops to fulfill Kennedy's promise made in 1962 to put a man on the Moon before the end of the decade. After the Gemini program, which allowed NASA to make up ground on the Soviets, America embarked on the Apollo program, and finally, on July 20th, 1969, Neil Armstrong became the first man to walk on the Moon. Time seemed to stop as the entire world watched in awe.