The crew of Apollo 11: Commander Neil A. Armstrong, Command
Module pilot Michael Collins, Lunar Module pilot Edwin E. Aldrin,
Jr. May 1, 1969.
(NASA photo ID S69-31739)
The first manned journey to the Moon began at Pad A, Launch
Complex 39, Kennedy Space Center, Florida with the liftoff
of Apollo 11 at 9:32 a.m. EDT on July 16, 1969.
(NASA photo ID S69-39525)
The Apollo spacecraft reached Earth parking orbit after 11
minutes. After one and a half orbits the Saturn thrusters fired
and the astronauts began their journey to the Moon. This
spectacular photo of the Earth was taken from 98,000 miles during
the Apollo 11 translunar injection on July 16. Most of Africa and
parts of Europe and Asia are visible.
(NASA photo ID AS11-36-5355)
On July 20, 1969, after a four day trip, the Apollo astronauts
arrived at the Moon. This photo of Earthrise over the lunar
horizon is one of the most famous images returned from the space
program, although even the astronauts themselves cannot remember
who actually took the picture. The lunar terrain shown, centered
at 85 degrees east longitude and 3 degrees north latitude on the
nearside of the Moon is in the area of Smyth's Sea.
(NASA photo ID AS11-44-6552)
This west-looking image of the landing site in the
southwestern Sea of Tranquility was taken from the Lunar Module
(LM) one orbit before descent, while still docked to the Command
Module (CM). The Tranquility base site is near the shadow line,
just to the right of center. The large crater at the lower right
is Maskelyne. The large black object in the lower left is not a
shadow but a LM thruster.
(NASA photo ID AS11-37-5437)
At 1:47 pm EDT, July 20, the Lunar Module "Eagle"
carrying Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin, separated from the
Command Module "Columbia". Michael Collins, aboard the
CM, took this picture of the LM as it prepared for its descent to
the lunar surface. "You cats take it easy on the lunar
surface", Collins said as he released the LM. The lunar
horizon can be seen in the background.
(NASA photo ID AS11-44-6574)
This photograph of the Command Module was taken from the LM
after separation. The lunar surface below is in the north central
Sea of Fertility, centered at 51 degree east longitude, 1 degree
north latitude. Over the next day, Michael Collins would orbit
the Moon while his colleagues walked on its surface.
(NASA photo ID AS11-37-5445)
"Houston,
Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed." These
words ushered in a new era of human exploration at 4:18 pm EDT on
July 20, as the first manned flight to the Moon touched down.
This picture, taken from the LM window shortly before touchdown,
shows the surface of the Moon near the touchdown point in the Sea
of Tranquility. "Magnificent
desolation", Aldrin called it.
(NASA photo ID AS11-37-5458)
"That's
one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." At
10:56 pm EDT on July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong became the first
human to set foot on the Moon. This image was taken from the
telecast of the event, watched by people around the world. The
pictures were taken by the Apollo lunar surface camera, the black
bar running through the center of the picture is an anomaly in
the Goldstone ground data system.
(NASA photo ID S69-42583)
Aldrin joined Armstrong on the surface less than fifteen
minutes later, in this photo taken by Armstrong. As he left the
LM, Aldrin said, "Now I want to partially close the hatch,
making sure not to lock it on my way out." "A good
thought." replied Armstrong.
(NASA photo ID AS11-40-5868)
The footprints left by the astronauts in the Sea of
Tranquility are more permanent than many solid structures on
Earth. Barring a chance meteorite impact, these impressions in
the lunar soil will probably last for millions of years.
(NASA photo ID AS11-40-5878)
A view of the Lunar Module "Eagle" on the Moon.
Aldrin is opening the stowage area and preparing to unload the
scientific experiments package. Beyond the right leg is the solar
wind experiment, and beyond that the lunar surface TV camera.
(NASA photo ID AS11-40-5927)
In the few hours that Aldrin and Armstrong were on the Moon,
there was little time to set up scientific experiments, but a
small package (the EASEP, or Early Apollo Scientific Experiments
Package) was deployed. Aldrin is shown here setting up the
Passive Seismic Experiments Package. Back to the left is the
Laser Ranging Retro-Reflector. More extensive scientific studies
were done on later Apollo missions.
(NASA photo ID AS11-40-5949)
Millions of Earthlings watched the drama unfold on TV images
taken by the black and white lunar surface camera. Here,
Armstrong is standing in the center, and Aldrin, a colonel in the
Air Force, is saluting President Richard M. Nixon, who had just
spoken to the two astronauts by radio.
(NASA photo ID S69-39562)
Neil Armstrong took this picture of Edwin Aldrin, showing a
reflection in Aldrins visor of Armstrong and the Lunar Module.
This is one of the only photographs showing Armstrong, who
carried the camera, on the Moon. Aldrin later said, "My
fault, perhaps, but we had never simulated this in
training."
(NASA photo ID AS11-40-5903)
The astronauts returned to the Lunar Module after 2 hours and
32 minutes on the surface (2:15 for Aldrin) and took this
picture. The footprints of the astronauts and the lunar surface
television camera can be seen. The flag had been difficult to set
up, and was actually knocked over when the LM took off from the
Moon 21 hours after landing.
(NASA photo ID AS11-37-5545)
After lifting off from the lunar surface, the LM made its
rendezvous with the Command Module. The Eagle docked with the
Command Module, and the lunar samples were brought aboard. The LM
was left behind in lunar orbit while the 3 astronauts returned in
the Columbia to the blue planet in the background.
(NASA photo ID AS11-44-6642)
The final phase of Kennedy's
challenge was completed at 12:50 p.m. EDT on July 24, 1969,
when the Columbia splashed down about 812 nautical miles
southwest of Hawaii, returning the 3 astronauts safely to Earth.
Here they are shown in a life raft with a Navy frogman. All four
men are wearing biological isolation garments, awaiting
helicopter pickup and transport to the U.S.S. Hornet. The day
before splashdown, Aldrin said, "We feel this stands as a
symbol of the insatiable curiousity of all mankind to explore the
unknown."
(NASA photo ID S69-21698)