Everything goes better with experimental aircraft!

I've been wondering: at this point in the LoK timeline when is the rough equivalent to aerospace technology in our timeline? In "How to Fly to the Moon" it mentions heavy lift technology having been available for a bit which, if heavy lift means the same thing as historically here, would imply at least 30 tons to LEO. Since that would obviate the whole point of the story I'm assuming they have a less extreme meaning of heavy lift.

-VR
If you had Gemini/Titan IIIC equivalents (1966, 14+ tons to LEO) and was allowed to do in-orbit assembly and lunar rendezvous, I wouldn't need a Saturn V. AFAIKT, no one ever talked about the feasibility of a combined EOR/LOR approach in our timeline either despite the obvious advantages.
"They copied all they could follow, but they couldn't copy my mind,
And I left 'em sweating and stealing a year and a half behind."