For your information, WELL BEFORE americans went to Moon, soviets drove it by robot rover (called Lunochod) with various sensors all over the place, (not to say about several other successfull Lunar missions before) and answered practically all questions about Moon (composition, water, atmosphere, magnetic field, life, etc).

I never heard about soviet plans to put man into moon. (Why? Not much point after all the information we obtained from robots and rovers and taking into account the hostility of the place.)

I think, US had itch to do ANYTHING in space to show the world that they are not just runners up behind "those reds". So, landing to the Moon by US was indeed mostly propaganda act to save face.

• Alex, are you ever right about anything not formulaic? - luis_hamburgh - November 24, 2001 - 05:26 UTC