“We choose to go to the moon.” The year was 1962 when President John F. Kennedy spoke these inspiring words. This was the kick-off for what became the Apollo program. All in all, 14 missions, 6 lunar landings, 12 astronauts on the moon. Pretty good for a project that began as a wild-eyed dream and a huge gamble.

I was just a little kid when Neil Armstrong walked on the moon. On July 20, 1969, my mom pulled me out of bed, plopped me in front of a little, black & white TV, and told me to watch because it was the greatest achievement of humankind and I would never forget it.

She was right. To this day, I still tear up when I see clips of that historic moment. I even get misty when I hear Kennedy’s prophetic pronouncement that challenged a nation to do the unfathomable.

The whole Apollo program framed my elementary years. And while I was wholeheartedly in support, I remember distinctly the questioning words of many who wondered whether it was worth it.

So, was there value in those 14 missions? Was it worth it?

Besides the scientific achievements and the development of digital technologies that led directly to the computers and smartphones we enjoy today, there was something far more important. The Apollo program showed us that we can be more, we can do the amazing, and we can use our money, brains, and resources to do work that changes things …for the better for future generations. The Apollo program inspired humanity to move beyond limits and believe in possibilities. It showed us that we can invest in more than transactional self-interest; we can envision, design, and create things that make a difference and make life better.

For me, I’ve always found a sense of hopeful optimism in those fourteen lunar trips—hopeful optimism that we humans do have the ability to look outside of our petty differences and selfish desires to make a better world. Value? Yes. Worth it? Yes. More of it? I stay optimistic.

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