In hindsight, Apollo 11's trip to the moon seems inevitable. But it was, in fact, an incredibly bumpy ride. This is not a story about mechanical failures or the scientific and engineering challenges — which were enormous. This is the other story of the Apollo program. Producer Richard Paul tells of the seven-year battle to balance politics and priorities inside the Capitol Beltway to land an American on the moon. NASA Chief Historian Roger Launius and American University space historian Howard McCurdy discuss a time when American public support of the space program was uncertain. Former CBC News Anchor Walter Cronkite, Charles Schultz, the Budget Director under President Lyndon Johnson and Glen Wilson who was on the staff of the original U.S. Senate Space Committee all recall the political battles that led to the Moon launch. Archive material from skeptics such as historian and sociologist Lewis Mumford reveals the varying perspectives of the opponents of the space program.

The Soundprint documentary series features the best work of top radio producers. The award winning documentaries are renowned for drawing the listener into the story with compelling interviews, authentic voices and rich sound. From memoirs to science, health and popular culture, Soundprint creates a powerful experience the listener will not soon forget.

Washington Goes to the Moon - Part 1 is part of a series of Soundprint documentaries on the history of the U.S. space program. It was produced with support, in part, from WAMU-FM and the National Science Foundation. Here are some other related documentaries.

The First Astronauts Produced by: Judith Kampfner

Rocket Girls and Astro-nettes Produced by: Richard Paul

Rocketing Ahead Produced by: Richard Paul

Washington Goes to the Moon: Part 2 Produced by: Richard Paul

Soundprint Executive Producer: Moira Rankin

Technical Director: Anna Maria de Freitas

Managing Producer: Gemma Hooley

Audio Engineer: Thom Woodward

Science Editor: Robert Smith