September 12, 1962

Dear Mr. President,

 

I am honored that you have called upon NASA in this time of need.

 

To be quite frank, your speech yesterday took me by surprise. As the director of the Space Task Group at Langley Research Center, the Apollo missions will be under my jurisdiction.

 

Though it came as a surprise, I ensure you NASA will do its best to fulfill your wish. We will start the Apollo program immediately.

 

Sincerely,

Robert R. Gilruth

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

September 14, 1962

Dear Mr. Gilruth,

 

I apologize that I did not inform you about the Apollo program before my speech at Rice University. I did not want the Soviet Union to intercept the message and I wanted the United States’ citizens to be the first to know of my space endeavors. I wanted to reassure them personally, rather than risk the chance that the public would hear of the Apollo program through rumors or espionage.

 

The Soviet Union’s achievements are great, and in order to prove the United States is a country of equal military, political, and nuclear power, we must utilize all of our resources. By sending a man to the moon, the United States will accomplish something so great the Soviet Union will have a hard time performing something better.

 

The United States is competing with the Soviet Union, not only in the nuclear and space arenas, but also in the economic and political arenas. The US is using the space arena as a platform to show the USSR that capitalism and democracy are better than communism. We must send a man to the moon to demonstrate our superiority. I appreciate your enthusiasm in the Apollo program and I look forward to working with you throughout the process.

 

Sincerely,

President John F. Kennedy

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

May 18, 1963

Dear Mr. Gilruth,

 

I am beginning to worry about the urgency of the Apollo missions. Today USSR sent the first woman into space. In doing so, they once again surprised the United States’ citizens. Though we can not to do anything to hinder their progress, we must do something to reassure the American people.

 

The Soviet Union’s technology is advancing greatly and rapidly and I am concerned about the speed at which we are advancing ours.

 

With each grand achievement of the USSR, the more frightened and unassured the American people are growing. I hate to rush you, because that could lead to mistakes, but the American people need to know that the United States of America is not falling behind in this new age of space.

 

Sincerely,

President John F. Kennedy

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

May 20, 1963

Dear Mr. President,

 

We are on track to start testing prototypes of instruments and designs in the near future. We plan to send them on space flights for the Saturn Program. The Apollo designs will be ready for testing this time next year.

 

Sincerely,

Robert R. Gilruth

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

November 22, 1963

Dear Mr. President,

 

It is with great sorrow and regret that I am writing this letter. It is disheartening that your dream could not be accomplished in your lifetime. It was an honor to be able to work with you on the United States’ space program.

 

I will forever be personally indebted to you for strengthening my position as director of the Manned Spacecraft Center at NASA. Additionally, your efforts in making the United States the world’s leader in space technology will never be forgotten. I will do everything I can to progress as quickly as possible with the Apollo program. The program’s trials are scheduled to begin on time in May.

 

I assure you, your promise to land a man on the moon and return him safely to Earth by the end of the decade will not be forgotten. I will do everything in my power to realize your dream.

 

Sincerely,

Robert R. Gilruth

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

September 24, 1964

Dear Mr. President,

 

Today the country is still mourning your death. President Johnson was sworn in the day of your death and he established a committee to investigate your assassination. The Warren Commision, as it is called, has been examining your case since it happened ten months ago. We are reminded of our great loss everyday in the newspaper and on television as the Warren Commision informs us of their progress. Today they officially concluded that a man named Lee Harvey Oswald was responsible. Oswald had been a suspect since it happened and he was killed two days after you, before he was able to stand trial. All of this is truly saddening; Oswald should have been tried and he should have had to serve his punishment.

 

On a more optimistic note, about four months ago NASA launched its first of many tests for the Apollo program. On this mission we tested the boilerplate model. On subsequent missions, we plan to test this further, along with micrometeoroid satellites and lunar modules.

 

Your death has given us even more drive and purpose. We refuse to have all this effort and passion go in vain. Though the United States of America and NASA are still grieving, we will continue to strive for greatness.

 

Sincerely,

Robert R. Gilruth

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

April 3, 1966

Dear Mr. President,

 

It has been a while since I last sent you a letter. Three years after America suffered through a national tragedy, we are still sorrowful. Though President Johnson is offering great support to the US citizens and NASA, we miss your unwavering encouragement and attention. Despite this, we continue to progress.

Since I last sent you a letter, the USSR has achieved great things. One Soviet cosmonaut has performed a spacewalk, spending 12 minutes outside of his spacecraft. They have also landed a satellite on the mood. Additionally, today, they sent a satellite into lunar orbit.

 

Their accomplishments haven’t gone without return, however. On June 3rd of last year, Ed White performed America’s first spacewalk, and just six months later, an American spacecraft took close up images of Mars.

 

We are still working hard to land a man on the moon. With four years left, we are well on our way.

 

Sincerely,

Robert R. Gilruth

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

July 16, 1969

Dear Mr. President,

 

Today NASA launched Apollo 11. This mission is the accumulation of eight Apollo missions before it, as well as all of you hard work. We couldn’t have done it without your initial proposition and drive. Once again, I owe this success to you. I look forward to writing you once the mission makes further progress.

 

Sincerely,

Robert R. Gilruth

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

July 20, 1969

It was a success! Today, at 20:18 UTC, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin stepped on the moon. They planted a flag to show the world that America is the world’s leader is the space arena.

 

Robert R. Gilruth

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

July 24, 1969

Dear Mr. President,

 

I am very happy to report that the three astronauts who traveled into space eight days ago have landed safely in the North Pacific Ocean.
 

I am sorry that you are not around to see the relief and happiness on every face in America. We have finally accomplished the goal you came up with about eight years ago. It is with great honor that I have been able to realize your dream.

 

Sincerely,

Robert R. Gilruth