In 1962, the government asked 18 Nobel laureates to help pick the next...

https://www.romeo-bookmarks.win/we-like-to-view-the-1962-space-race-as-a-straight-line-but-the-archives-reveal

In 1962, the government asked 18 Nobel laureates to help pick the next propulsion method. Predictably, they spent more time arguing over nuclear versus chemical engines than actually building anything