We like to view the 1962 space race as a straight line, but the archives reveal...

https://bizzmarkblog.com/the-tyranny-of-the-scale-why-mass-is-the-only-metric-that-actually-matters/

We like to view the 1962 space race as a straight line, but the archives reveal a messy, human brawl. Engineers spent years fiercely debating nuclear, chemical, and electric propulsion long before anyone touched a launchpad