In 1962, the race to the moon was less of a straight line and more of a brawl....

https://list-wiki.win/index.php/The_Tyranny_of_the_Rocket_Equation:_Why_Space_is_a_Math_Problem

In 1962, the race to the moon was less of a straight line and more of a brawl. While the public cheered for Saturn V, internal memos show engineers clashing over nuclear, electric, and chemical propulsion