JFK gave the go ahead for the Space Race in a speech dated 25th May, 1961.
The Pentagon became very alarmed when the Soviets launched the first Sputnik on 4th October, 1957 in case it could become possible to launch Nuclear Weapons from Space.
Neil Armstrong's success on 20th July, 1969 - watched by half the world live on television - put a stopper in that particular bottle. No doubt the Chinese will repeat this feat sometime in this decade.