What message was president kennedy most likely sending with this 1961 statement? p (points : 3) only the united states will ever be capable of landing a man on the moon. it is important to maintain the u. s. long-time reputation as the leader in the space race. if the united states cannot land a man on the moon within ten years, the government should abandon the space program. landing a man on the moon will show the soviet union that the united states is the more powerful nation.