Setting sights on Mars — a half-century ago
Excerpt from the November 28, 1964, issue of Science News Letter
New space goal — Mars: The Space Sciences Board has recommended that the United States make Mars, not the moon, its main concern in space. But this is not an admission that the Russians have all but won the race to the moon…. The board’s report … is merely a “refocusing” of its earlier position…. The board suggested that unmanned flights to planets be undertaken between 1971 and 1985, followed as soon as possible by manned flights.