I watched it live, and it still gives me goosebumps to watch it today.
That said… It was a HUGE mistake to do it that way.
We should have concentrated on space infrastructure and a phased approach to colonizing space. Instead we built disintegrating totem poles for a one time shot. In 1969 NASA told me I could be living on the moon in 30 years. Now I’d just be happy to see a permanent human presence on the moon before the end of this century. I won’t hold my breath though because it’s not going to happen as long as NASA is in charge.
Good point, but we DID get there! NASA, like anything else run by the government has become a risk averse beuaracracy, unwilling and unable to step up…