Back in 1962, NASA’s path to the moon wasn't a given—it was a vicious argument....

https://mag-wiki.win/index.php/Is_Docking_Actually_Worth_the_Headache%3F_Re-evaluating_Lunar_and_Mars_Mission_Architecture

Back in 1962, NASA’s path to the moon wasn't a given—it was a vicious argument. While 18 Nobel laureates obsessed over fuel types, John Houbolt fought to prove that docking was safer than direct ascent