Apollo 11 - Facts & Summary - HISTORY.com Google Apollo Program: Background The American effort to send astronauts to the moon had its origins in an appeal President John Kennedy made to a special joint session of Congress on May 25, 1961: “I believe this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to Earth.” At the time, the United States was still trailing the Soviet Union in space developments, and Cold War-era America welcomed Kennedy’s bold proposal.In 1966, after five years of work by an international team of scientists and engineers, the National Did You Know? President Richard Nixon spoke with Armstrong and Aldrin via a telephone radio transmissionshortly after they planted the American flag on the lunar surface. Nixon considered it the "most historic phone call ever made from the White House." Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) conducted the first unmanned Apollo mission, testing the structural integrity of the proposed launch vehicle and spacecraft combination.

Then, on January 27, 1967, tragedy struck at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida , when a fire broke out during a manned launch-pad test of the Apollo spacecraft and Saturn rocket. Three astronauts were killed in the fire. Despite the setback, NASA and its thousands of employees forged ahead, and in October 1968 Apollo 7, the first manned Apollo mission, orbited Earth and successfully tested many of the sophisticated systems needed to conduct a moon journey and landing. In December of the same year, Apollo 8 took three astronauts to the dark side of the moon and back, and in March 1969 Apollo 9 tested the lunar module for the first time while in Earth orbit. That May, the three astronauts of Apollo 10 took the first complete Apollo spacecraft around the moon in a dry run for the scheduled July landing mission. Apollo 11 Mission: July 16-July 24, 1969 At 9:32 a.m. EDT on July 16, with the world watching, Apollo 11 took off from Kennedy Space Center with astronauts Neil Armstrong , Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins (1930-) aboard.

Armstrong, a 38-year-old civilian research pilot, was the commander of the mission. After traveling 240,000 miles in 76 hours, Apollo 11 entered into a lunar orbit on July 19. The next day, at 1:46 p.m., the lunar module Eagle, manned by Armstrong and Aldrin, separated from the command module, where Collins remained. Two hours later, the Eagle began its descent to the lunar surface, and at 4:17 p.m. the craft touched down on the southwestern edge of the Sea of Tranquility. Armstrong immediately radioed to Mission Control in Houston, Texas , a now-famous message: “The Eagle has landed.” At 10:39 p.m., five hours ahead of the original schedule, Armstrong opened the hatch of the lunar module. As he made his way down the module’s ladder, a television camera attached to the craft recorded his progress and beamed the signal back to Earth, where hundreds of millions watched in great anticipation.

At 10:56 p.m., as Armstrong stepped off the ladder and planted his foot on the moon’s powdery surface, he spoke his famous quote, which he later contended was slightly garbled by his microphone and meant to be “that’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.” Aldrin joined him on the moon’s surface 19 minutes later, and together they took photographs of the terrain, planted a U.S. flag, ran a few simple scientific tests and spoke with President Richard Nixon (1913-94) via Houston. By 1:11 a.m. on July 21, both astronauts were back in the lunar module and the hatch was closed. The two men slept that night on the surface of the moon, and at 1:54 p.m. the Eagle began its ascent back to the command module.

Among the items left on the surface of the moon was a plaque that read: “Here men from the planet Earth first set foot on the moon–July 1969 A.D–We came in peace for all mankind.” At 5:35 p.m., Armstrong and Aldrin successfully docked and rejoined Collins, and at 12:56 a.m. on July 22 Apollo 11 began its journey home, safely splashing down in the Pacific Ocean at 12:50 p.m. on July 24. Apollo Program: Final Missions There would be five more successful lunar landing missions, and one unplanned lunar swing-by, Apollo 13 (whose lunar landing was aborted due to technical difficulties). The last men to walk on the moon, astronauts Eugene Cernan (1934-) and Harrison Schmitt (1935-) of the Apollo 17 mission, left the lunar surface on December 14, 1972.

The Apollo program was a costly and labor intensive endeavor, involving an estimated 400,000 engineers, technicians and scientists, and costing $24 billion (close to $100 billion in today’s dollars). The expense was justified by Kennedy’s 1961 mandate to beat the Soviets to the moon, and after the feat was accomplished ongoing missions lost their viability. Tags Apollo 11 lands the first man on the moon in 1969 - NY Daily News Apollo 11 lands the first man on the moon in 1969 Apollo 11 lands the first man on the moon in 1969 NEW YORK DAILY NEWS U.S. Astronaut Edwin E. Aldrin, Jr., lunar module pilot of the first lunar landing mission, poses for a photograph beside the deployed United States flag during Apollo 11. (NASA/AFP/Getty Images) NEW YORK DAILY NEWS Sunday, July 19, 2015, 12:00 PM (Originally published by the Daily News on July 21, 1969.

This story was written by Mark Bloom.) HOUSTON, July 20 - Two men landed on the moon today and for more than two hours walked its forbidding surface in mankind’s first exploration of an alien world. In the most incredible adventure in human history, these men coolly established earth’s first outpost in the universe, sending back an amazing panorama of views to millions of awed TV viewers. With his camera recording the fantastic, totally unreal scene for his home planet, Apollo 11 commander Neil Armstrong climbed down a nine-rung ladder from the cabin of the landing craft called Eagle, and became the first man to step on the moon. It was 10:56 p.m., New York time. Excerpts of talks between Apollo 11 crew and mission control “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind,” Armstrong exclaimed. Nineteen minutes later, Edwin E. (Buzz) Aldrin Jr. joined Armstrong on the surface, and cried: “Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, a magnificent desolation.” In the two hours and 16 minutes between the time Armstrong stepped on the surface and the pair were back inside Eagle’s cabin, research was begun.

It may unlock many secrets of the universe and provide clues to how it all started. The astronauts collected more than 50 pounds of lunar rocks and soil, the most valuable payload science has ever known. Many scientists on earth believe that when these rocks are studied on earth they will show a record of the solar system as it was when it was formed - untarnished by wind and weather in the airless wastes of the moon. The astronauts left two self contained, automated scientific experiments on the moon. One will answer the age-old question of whether the moon is internally active, like the earth, or cold and inert like a meteorite. The two men planted the American flag on the moon - not as a sign of acquisition of territory but as a sign of the nation which was willing to spend the energy and money to carry out this adventure. And they got a warm telephone call of congratulations from President Nixon, 240,000 miles away on earth. He said their feat “inspires us to redouble our efforts to bring peace and tranquility to earth.” They succeeded in landing on the moon on man’s first attempt, fulfilling the nation’s goal of a manned lunar landing by the end of the decade.

But they still must return to earth, and the tension was already building up for tomorrow’s critical moment at 1:50 p.m. - the instant when Eagle’s ascent engine must fire, or Armstrong and Aldrin will be marooned on the moon. If all goes well, Apollo 11 will splash down in the Pacific 1,200 miles southwest of Hawaii next Thursday afternoon. Moment of Ages The astronauts’ feats combined into the moment of the ages, the light paint of man’s eternal search for new worlds. It was the climax of centuries of dreams, centuries of science, centuries of faith, climaxing man’s slow and painful steps toward unlocking the secrets of his universe. It was also the climax of an American dream, a challenge to the nation to be first in the realm of space, to be first to land a man on the moon. (New York Daily News) Finds Powdered Surface After Armstrong cautiously descended from the lunar vehicle, he said: “The surface is fine and powdered, like powdered charcoal to the soles of my boots… I can see my footprints of my boot in the fine particles.” Armstrong began his momentous walk more than six hours after the lunar module swept to another celestial body.

Takes Over Controls In the final 300 feet, Armstrong took over the manual controls when he saw that the computer-run automatic pilot was sending the small, spider-like craft toward a boulder-strewn area. As a result, when Eagle landed in the Sea of Tranquility at 4:17:45 p.m., New York time, Armstrong had only 45 seconds of hover time left. But he signaled the arrival in a typically matter-of-fact message to Houston. “Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed.” It was 10:51 p.m. when Armstrong climbed from Eagle’s cabin onto the “porch” of the vehicle - the landing atop the nine-rung ladder leading to the surface. “How’m I doing?” asked Armstrong. “You’re doing fine,” said Aldrin. At 11:15 p.m., after Armstrong had described the powdery soil on the surface and collected a two pound sample of rocks in case the walk had to be cut short, he was joined on the surface by Aldrin. Both descents and the astronauts’ activities outside the vehicle were beamed to the earth on live TV. As he started down the ladder.

Aldrin commented: “I’m making sure not to lock it (the hatch) on the way out.” A Good Thought “That’s a good thought,” said Armstrong. As he reached the surface, Aldrin commented: “It sure is powdery.” NASA photo shows the lunar module, with Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin, as it approaches the Apollo 11 command module for a rendezvous with the Earth in the background. (NASA/AFP/Getty Images) American astronaut Neil Armstrong put a foot on the moon July 21, 1969 during the Apollo 11 mission. (Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images) NASA image shows Apollo 11 commander Neil Armstrong's right foot leaving a footprint in the lunar soil as he and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin become the first men to set foot on the surface of the moon. (NASA/AFP/Getty Images) Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin E. "Buzz" Aldrin, the first men to land on the moon, plant the U.S. flag on the lunar surface. (AP) “Isn’t this fun?” asked Armstrong. “The rocks are rather slippery,” said Aldrin.

“There seems to be no difficulty in moving around,” said Armstrong. “I suspect it is even easier than simulations… on the ground. Simply no trouble to walk around.” Checks for Damage Armstrong, taking huge, graceful strides, inspected the footpads and legs of the lunar module to make sure there was no damage. Aldrin said: “You have to be careful in leaning in directions you want to go… You have to cross your foot over to stay underneath where your center of mass is.” He continued: “Say, Neil, didn’t I say you would see some purple rocks?” “You found some,” asked Armstrong. “Yes,” said Aldrin. While taking the first two-pound rock sample, Armstrong said he ran into a very hard surface directly underneath the powdery top soil. “But it seems to be a very cohesive material of the same sort.” He described the soil as having “a certain beauty all its own - like (the) desert of the U.S. It’s different but very pretty.” At 11:26 p.m., about half an hour after Armstrong reached the surface, he unveiled a plaque commemorating the feat. Signatures on Plaque The plaque bore the signatures of the three astronauts and President Nixon.

The astronauts’ walk on the moon, highlighted when they raised the American flag, all but eclipsed their earlier feat of landing on the lunar surface. The epic moment came after Armstrong and Aldrin flew Eagle away from Columbia, the Apollo 11 command craft piloted by Mike Collins, and started downward. “Eagle has wings,” said Armstrong. Armstrong said Eagle steered its way past a football field-sized crater bristling with big boulders and rocks which would have been hazardous. Apollo 11 commander Neil A. Armstrong inside the Lunar Module while on the lunar surface. (AP) Apollo 11 Saturn V space vehicle lifting off with Astronauts Neil A. Armstrong, Michael Collins and Edwin E. Aldrin Jr. (HO/AFP/Getty Images) Apollo 11 blastoff to the moon from Cape Kennedy, Florida. (NASA/AP) Astronaut Edwin E. Aldrin, Jr., lunar module pilot, descends the steps of the Lunar Module (LM) ladder as he prepares to walk on the Moon. (HO/AFP/Getty Images) Astronaut Neil Armstrong walking on the surface of the moon during the Apollo 11 mission; American flag, lunar lander & various instruments visible behind him.

(Time Life Pictures/Time & Life Pictures/Getty Image) Astronaut Edwin E. Aldrin Jr., lunar module pilot, prepares to deploy the Early Apollo Scientific Experiments Package (EASEP) during the Apollo 11 lunar surface extravehicular activity. (NEIL A. ARMSTRONG/AP) Earth control said the touchdown point, though about four miles east of the planned point, was well within the safety guidelines set forth in the mission rules. The pilot said he had to take over from the auto-targeting computer in the last 150 feet “and fly manually over the rock field to find a reasonably good area.” “It looks like there’s a collection of just about every variety of shape, angularity, and every variety of rock you could find,” said Aldrin.

“The color is dark and it varies pretty much depending on how you’re looking at it.” Aldrin continued: “There doesn’t seem to be much of a general color at all, and it looks as though some of the rocks and boulders, of which there are quite a few in the near area, look as though they’re going to have some interesting colors to them.” Everything control reported that everything was “go” for Eagle in every respect, and the astronauts were given permission to stay at least 10 hours. Climax of an American Dream It was the moment of the ages in the long history of man’s exploration, his eternal search to explore new worlds. It was the climax of centuries of dreams, centuries of science, centuries of faith, and of man’s slow and painful steps toward unlocking the secrets of his universe. It was the climax of an American dream, a challenge to the nation to be first in the realm of space, to be first to land a man on the moon, and to do it before the end of this decade. It was done with almost six months to spare.

Man’s final push to the moon began with President Kennedy’s speech to Congress on May 25, 1961: “I believe this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to earth.” The steps to the moon today began at 12:53 p.m. when the astronauts received the word from earth control: “Apollo 11 you are go for undocking.” “Roger, understand,” replied Armstrong, not a trace of nervousness in his voice. “Both vehicles look very good,” said earth control. At that point, Apollo 11 swept around behind the moon for the 12th time since the astronauts flew into lunar orbit yesterday, and began preparing to head down the surface. Cable to Borman Apollo 11 was in a near circular orbit about 70 miles above the pock-marked, barren stretches of the moon. As all this was happening, Apollo 8 commander Frank Borman received another cable from Mystslav V.

Keldysh, president of the Soviet Academy of Sciences, reporting that Luna 15, the unmanned spacecraft keeping Apollo 11 company, had changed its orbit around the moon again. When Apollo 11 emerged from the eastern rim of the moon and was back in radio contact with the earth, Armstrong reported: “Eagle’s undocked and looking good.” Eagle and Columbia separated at 1:47 p.m., not to rejoin for more than 24 hours. Tags: Armstrong walks on moon - Jul 20, 1969 - HISTORY.com Armstrong walks on moon Publisher A+E Networks At 10:56 p.m. EDT, American astronaut Neil Armstrong, 240,000 miles from Earth, speaks these words to more than a billion people listening at home: “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” Stepping off the lunar landing module Eagle, Armstrong became the first human to walk on the surface of the moon. The American effort to send astronauts to the moon has its origins in a famous appeal President John F.

Kennedy made to a special joint session of Congress on May 25, 1961: “I believe this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to Earth.” At the time, the United States was still trailing the Soviet Union in space developments, and Cold War-era America welcomed Kennedy’s bold proposal. In 1966, after five years of work by an international team of scientists and engineers, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) conducted the first unmanned Apollo mission, testing the structural integrity of the proposed launch vehicle and spacecraft combination. Then, on January 27, 1967, tragedy struck at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, when a fire broke out during a manned launch-pad test of the Apollo spacecraft and Saturn rocket. Three astronauts were killed in the fire. Despite the setback, NASA and its thousands of employees forged ahead, and in October 1968, Apollo 7, the first manned Apollo mission, orbited Earth and successfully tested many of the sophisticated systems needed to conduct a moon journey and landing.

In December of the same year, Apollo 8 took three astronauts to the dark side of the moon and back, and in March 1969 Apollo 9 tested the lunar module for the first time while in Earth orbit. Then in May, the three astronauts of Apollo 10 took the first complete Apollo spacecraft around the moon in a dry run for the scheduled July landing mission. At 9:32 a.m. on July 16, with the world watching, Apollo 11 took off from Kennedy Space Center with astronauts Neil Armstrong, Edwin Aldrin Jr., and Michael Collins aboard. Armstrong, a 38-year-old civilian research pilot, was the commander of the mission. After traveling 240,000 miles in 76 hours, Apollo 11 entered into a lunar orbit on July 19. The next day, at 1:46 p.m., the lunar module Eagle, manned by Armstrong and Aldrin, separated from the command module, where Collins remained. Two hours later, the Eagle began its descent to the lunar surface, and at 4:18 p.m. the craft touched down on the southwestern edge of the Sea of Tranquility.

Armstrong immediately radioed to Mission Control in Houston, Texas, a famous message: “The Eagle has landed.” At 10:39 p.m., five hours ahead of the original schedule, Armstrong opened the hatch of the lunar module. As he made his way down the lunar module’s ladder, a television camera attached to the craft recorded his progress and beamed the signal back to Earth, where hundreds of millions watched in great anticipation. At 10:56 p.m., Armstrong spoke his famous quote, which he later contended was slightly garbled by his microphone and meant to be “that’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.” He then planted his left foot on the gray, powdery surface, took a cautious step forward, and humanity had walked on the moon. “Buzz” Aldrin joined him on the moon’s surface at 11:11 p.m., and together they took photographs of the terrain, planted a U.S. flag, ran a few simple scientific tests, and spoke with President Richard M. Nixon via Houston. By 1:11 a.m. on July 21, both astronauts were back in the lunar module and the hatch was closed.

The two men slept that night on the surface of the moon, and at 1:54 p.m. the Eagle began its ascent back to the command module. Among the items left on the surface of the moon was a plaque that read: “Here men from the planet Earth first set foot on the moon–July 1969 A.D–We came in peace for all mankind.” At 5:35 p.m., Armstrong and Aldrin successfully docked and rejoined Collins, and at 12:56 a.m. on July 22 Apollo 11 began its journey home, safely splashing down in the Pacific Ocean at 12:51 p.m. on July 24. There would be five more successful lunar landing missions, and one unplanned lunar swing-by, Apollo 13. The last men to walk on the moon, astronauts Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt of the Apollo 17 mission, left the lunar surface on December 14, 1972.

The Apollo program was a costly and labor intensive endeavor, involving an estimated 400,000 engineers, technicians, and scientists, and costing $24 billion (close to $100 billion in today’s dollars). The expense was justified by Kennedy’s 1961 mandate to beat the Soviets to the moon, and after the feat was accomplished ongoing missions lost their viability. Related Videos Debunking myths about Neil Armstrong - Technology & science - Space | NBC News Debunking myths about Neil Armstrong Much of what was reported is accurate, and much is wrong — some is just plain silly Below: U.S. astronaut Neil Armstrong smiles in the lunar module after his historic moonwalk. By James Oberg NBC News space analyst Special to NBC News + - The sad occasion of Neil Armstrong’s death is a fitting time to review many of the facts and assessments of his life. Much of what was reported is accurate, and much is wrong — some is even just plain silly. Examples of the misinformation and silliness follow. Some of them might even be wrong, but it’s the way I’ve heard it.

Myth: Armstrong was picked for Apollo 11 because he was a civilian, and the White House wanted the first man on the Moon to be civilian, not a military pilot. Fact: Armstrong wound up as commander of Apollo 11 through his methodical progression of backup and primary crew assignments throughout the Gemini and early Apollo program. Nobody knew when he entered that flow how many Apollo missions would be needed before the actual first landing attempt. Space news from NBCNews.com Watch a 'ring of fire' solar eclipse online Myth: Armstrong "pulled rank" and got priority over his shipmate, Buzz Aldrin, who originally had been slated to be first man on the Moon. Fact: On Gemini missions, the co-pilot did the spacewalks, while the commander remained in the spacecraft to keep control. But the deciding factor on Apollo seems to have been that the hinge on the inward-opening lunar module door was along the right edge, which meant that when the door was first opened, the commander had a clear path to crawl backward through the low door. The second astronaut could then easily move into the unoccupied commander’s space, and repeat the door manipulation.

Getting the second pilot out first, while the commander was still in his workspace, would have been tricky in the cramped cabin. Myth: Armstrong's "one small step" onto the lunar surface was actually a 3-foot jump down off the lunar module’s ladder to the ground. Advertise Fact: Walter Cronkite, who was narrating the start of the moon walk and actually talked over most of Armstrong’s original comment ("What did he say?" he then asked Wally Schirra) appears to have first published this erroneous version. Cronkite, and legions of authors who followed his lead, overlooked the fact that Armstrong had already descended from the ladder and was standing on the garbage-can-lid sized lunar module leg footpad. The astronaut then moved his left foot gently over the rim and onto the moon dust, a true "small step" as he described it. Nevertheless, numerous video replays of the moon walk, including some by NASA itself, relaid the audio track to incorrectly make the "small step" comment follow the first jump off the ladder.

Myth: Armstrong muffed his famous line about "one small step for A man" by forgetting to pronounce the "a.: Fact: Armstrong himself recalls saying it, but the intermittent radio link may have suppressed the syllable. I personally heard the broadcast live while I was a "NASA trainee" at Northwestern University’s Technological Institute in Evanston, Ill., and when I immediately repeated the line for a colleague, I distinctly recall saying it as I had interpreted it: "That’s one small step for a man…" Myth: After the flight, Armstrong withdrew entirely from public contact. Fact: Armstrong certainly did not capitalize on his fame, and used the post-fame experiences of Charles Lindbergh as a cautionary tale. But he served on NASA committees, and regularly spoke to reporters, historians, and especially to fellow pilots at gatherings such as Oshkosh. Myth: During the moon walk, Armstrong made a cryptic comment, "Good luck, Mr.

Gorsky," in honor of a childhood neighbor of his in Ohio whose outraged wife had screamed that she’d perform a sex act requested by her husband "when the kid next door walks on the moon." Fact: The comment is not on any recordings or transcripts, nor was it heard by anyone in real time. It appears to have originated from a comedy routine by Buddy Hackett. Myth: Armstrong observed UFOs on the way to the moon, and again once he was down on the surface. Fact: Most Apollo crews on the way to the moon noticed flashing lights "pacing" them, which turned out to be segments of their Saturn 5 launch vehicle, and especially the four panels of the "LM garage," which got jettisoned soon after launch. "Secret moon transcripts" from science fiction writer Otto Binder and in tabloid newspapers of that era seem to have been entirely fabricated, since amateur radio operators back on Earth independently monitored many of the actual transmissions and heard the same things that NASA officially released live. Myth: Armstrong actually filmed all the moon surface sequences in Nevada.

Advertise Fact: Aside from the mind-boggling awesomeness of the actual mission, the genuine "unearthliness" of outer space produced scenes and sequences which just didn't "look right" to many viewers. For example, mysterious "backlighting" of the shadowed regions of spacesuits and the LM raised suspicions of studio lighting, but were actually caused by backscatter from the lunar surface (which explains why the astronauts’ shadows flat on the surface were still pitch black). But all other technical "objections" are bogus, despite the globally widespread ideological appeal of disbelieving the Apollo successes. Myth: As an astronaut facing an enormous physical challenge, Armstrong worked out tirelessly in the gymnasium to strengthen his body. Fact: Although he lived on a healthy regimen, Armstrong rarely exercised, often explaining that he believed that a man was given a set number of heartbeats in his life and he wasn’t going to do anything to use them up faster. But even without exercise, he briefly sped up his own consumption of his allotment during the Apollo 11 landing. More about Neil Armstrong's life and legacy: Related slideshows American hero Apollo 11 commander Neil Armstrong, who passed away on Aug.

25, 2012, will be forever known as the first man to set foot on the moon. This 1969 portrait shows Armstrong in his spacesuit, standing in front of a large photograph of the lunar surface. (NASA via EPA) Share Back to slideshow navigation Family portrait Astronaut Neil Armstrong is pictured with his wife, Janet, and his two sons, Eric and Mark, on Aug. 26, 1963. (Ralph Morse / Time & Life Pictures via Getty Images) Share Back to slideshow navigation Advertise In training Neil Armstrong is buckled up at a NASA training center on Sept. 1, 1963. (Ralph Morse / Time & Life Pictures via Getty Images) Share Back to slideshow navigation Flying bedstead Neil Armstrong strides alongside a lunar landing research vehicle, also known as a "flying bedstead," at Edwards Air Force Base in California on Aug. 1, 1964. The LLRV was used to train astronauts for landings on the moon. In 1968, Armstrong had to eject from an LLRV when the flight controls failed. It was one of the astronaut's closest calls.

(Ralph Morse / Time & Life Pictures via Getty Images) Share Back to slideshow navigation Suited up Neil Armstrong sits in a mock space capsule, dressed in a full Navy Mark IV pressure suit (except for the helmet), during training for his Gemini space mission in the mid-1960s. (Ralph Morse / Time & Life Pictures via Getty Images) Share Back to slideshow navigation Advertise Gemini 8 Commander Neil Armstrong (foreground) and pilot David Scott prepare to get into their Gemini 8 capsule on March 16, 1966. The mission marked the first docking of two spacecraft in orbit, but ended prematurely due to a thruster malfunction. Armstrong got the spacecraft under control and brought the capsule safely back to Earth for a Pacific splashdown. (NASA via Reuters) Share Back to slideshow navigation Advertise The trio of Apollo Buzz Aldrin, Michael Collins and Neil Armstrong, the crew of Apollo 11, pose with a model of the moon in 1969. (Ralph Morse / Time & Life Pictures via Getty Images) Share Back to slideshow navigation Practice run Apollo 11's Buzz Aldrin, Neil Armstrong and Michael Collins stand by a mock Apollo capsule during water egress training in the Gulf of Mexico.

(Science Society Picture Library via Getty Images) Share Back to slideshow navigation Rehearsal for landing Apollo 11 astronaut Neil Armstrong poses with a landing simulator at the Lunar Landing Research Facility at NASA's Langley Research Center on Feb. 12, 1969. (NASA / Reuters) Share Back to slideshow navigation Advertise At ease Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins and Buzz Aldrin stand in front of their Saturn 5 rocket at NASA's Kennedy Space Center on May 20, 1969, during preparations for their mission. (NASA via Reuters) Share Back to slideshow navigation Advertise Checking out the seats Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins and Buzz Aldrin wear clean-room gear during a walk-through egress test in their command module on June 10, 1969. (NASA via Reuters) Share Back to slideshow navigation Meet the press The crew members of the Apollo 11 lunar landing mission, Buzz Aldrin, Neil Armstrong and Michael Collins, get comfortable during a press conference in July 1969.

(NASA via AFP - Getty Images) Share Back to slideshow navigation Time for study Apollo 11 astronaut Neil Armstrong reviews flight plans on July 14, 1969. (NASA via Reuters) Share Back to slideshow navigation Advertise Checking the fit Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin get ready to train for extravehicular activity, under the watchful eye of chief astronaut Deke Slayton (right). (NASA via Reuters) Share Back to slideshow navigation Here's the scoop Neil Armstrong takes a photo of a sample that Buzz Aldrin is about to collect with a large scoop during a training session. (NASA via Reuters) Share Back to slideshow navigation On their way Neil Armstrong waves as he and his Apollo 11 crewmates head for the van that will take them to the Saturn 5 rocket for launch to the moon from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on July 16, 1969. (AP) Share Back to slideshow navigation Fire in the sky The Apollo 11 mission's Saturn 5 rocket climbs toward orbit after liftoff from Launch Pad 39A at 9:32 a.m. ET on July 16, 1969.

This photo was taken with a 70mm telescopic camera mounted on an Air Force EC-135N plane. Onboard were astronauts Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins and Buzz Aldrin. (Science Society Picture Library via Getty Images) Share Back to slideshow navigation Advertise Shadow on the moon Apollo 11 astronaut Neil Armstrong captures his own shadow on film while taking a photo of the lunar module on the moon's surface in July 1969. (Neil Armstrong / NASA via Reuters) Share Back to slideshow navigation Star-spangled moon A frame from a 16mm movie shows Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin setting up an American flag on the surface of the moon during the Apollo 11 lunar mission on July 20, 1969. (Time & Life Pictures / NASA via Getty Images) Share Back to slideshow navigation One small step Neil Armstrong steps into history on July 20, 1969, by leaving the first human footprint on the surface of the moon. (NASA via Getty Images) Share Back to slideshow navigation Reflecting on history Astronaut Buzz Aldrin stands on the moon next to the lunar module in this photo, taken by Neil Armstrong on July 20, 1969.

Aldrin's helmet visor reflects back the scene in front of him, including a small image of Armstrong taking the picture. (Neil Armstrong / NASA via Reuters) Share Back to slideshow navigation Advertise Astronaut at work Neil Armstrong is seen near the lunar lander and the U.S. flag in a picture taken by Buzz Aldrin on the surface of the moon on July 20, 1969. (Buzz Aldrin / NASA via AFP - Getty Images) Share Back to slideshow navigation Watching from afar Ten thousand spectators gathered to watch giant television screens in New York's Central Park and cheer as astronaut Neil Armstrong took humanity's first step on the moon on July 20, 1969. (AP) Share Back to slideshow navigation Related video Neil Armstrong’s legacy: People can do ‘great things’ Homeward bound The lunar module, with Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin aboard, approaches the Apollo 11 command module for a rendezvous on July 21, 1969, marking the first leg of the homeward journey. A half-Earth is seen in the background.

(NASA via AFP - Getty Images) Share Back to slideshow navigation All smiles Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins and Buzz Aldrin laugh along with President Richard Nixon aboard the USS Hornet. The president was on hand to greet the astronauts after their splashdown in the Pacific on July 24, 1969. The crew was in a quarantine facility as a post-flight precaution. (Richard Nixon Foundation / AP) Share Back to slideshow navigation Laughing at quarantine Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins and Buzz Aldrin are in high spirits as they look out through the window of their mobile quarantine van on July 24, 1969. (NASA via Reuters) Share Back to slideshow navigation Family reunion Neil Armstrong greets his son Mark on the telephone intercom system while his wife Janet and his other son Eric look on at Ellington Air Force Base in Texas on July 27, 1969. Armstrong and his crewmates were quarantined for 21 days after landing back on Earth, out of concern that they might have brought harmful germs back with them from the moon.

(NASA via Reuters) Share Back to slideshow navigation Free at last Neil Armstrong greets friends after being released from quarantine on Aug. 10, 1969. (NASA via Reuters) Share Back to slideshow navigation Advertise Ticker-tape parade Apollo 11 astronauts Michael Collins, Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong wave to crowds as they celebrate their return from the moon in a New York ticker-tape parade on Aug. 13, 1969. (Time & Life Pictures / NASA via Getty Images) Share Back to slideshow navigation Behind a desk After Apollo 11, Neil Armstrong was appointed deputy associate administrator for aeronautics at NASA Headquarters in Washington. In this picture, Armstrong is seen in his Washington office on July 23, 1970. He resigned from NASA in 1971, and became active in academia and the corporate world. (AFP - Getty Images) Share Back to slideshow navigation Dealing with tragedy After the shuttle Challenger exploded in 1986, Neil Armstrong was chosen to serve as the vice chairman of the presidential commission set up to investigate the tragedy. Armstrong is seen here listening to testimony before the commission in Washington on Feb. 11, 1986.

Another member of the commission, David Acheson, listens in the background. (Scott Stewart / AP) Share Back to slideshow navigation Advertise 30 years later Neil Armstrong is awarded the Samuel P. Langley Medal in front of the Apollo 11 command module at the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum in Washington, during a ceremony on July 20, 1999, marking the 30th anniversary of the first moon landing. Vice President Al Gore, applauding at right, presented medals to Armstrong as well as to Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins. (Joyce Naltchayan / AFP - Getty Images) Share Back to slideshow navigation A piece of history Museumgoers walk around the Apollo 11 command module at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum in Washington on July 16, 2009, the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11's launch.

(Mark Wilson / Getty Images) Share Back to slideshow navigation 40 years later Buzz Aldrin, Neil Armstrong and Michael Collins stand in front of a lunar module exhibit at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum in Washington on July 19, 2009, the eve of the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing. (Mark Avino / AFP - Getty Images) Share Back to slideshow navigation Hailed by the chief President Barack Obama speaks with Neil Armstrong and fellow Apollo 11 crew members Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins during an Oval Office meeting on July 20, 2009, the 40th anniversary of the first moon landing. (Saul Loeb / AFP - Getty Images) Share Back to slideshow navigation Hero on the Hill Retired NASA astronaut Neil Armstrong is welcomed by Norman Augustine (left), chairman of the Review of U.S. Human Space Flight Plans Committee, and retired astronaut Eugene Cernan (obscured), commander of Apollo 17 mission, before the three testified on Capitol Hill on May 12, 2010.

Armstong, Cernan and Augustine testified before the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee on the future of U.S. human spaceflight. During his testimony, Armstrong said he was "not confident" about the commercial market's ability to provide safe and reliable hardware for human spaceflight. (Win McNamee / Getty Images) Share Back to slideshow navigation Gold medal Apollo 11 astronaut Neil Armstrong is presented with the Congressional Gold Medal during a ceremony in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol on Nov. 16, 2011. The gold medals were presented to Armstrong and his fellow crew members from Apollo 11, Michael Collins and Buzz Aldrin, and to retired senator-astronaut John Glenn, the first American to go into Earth orbit. (Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images) Share Back to slideshow navigation Advertise Celebration time Apollo 11 astronaut Neil Armstrong speaks during a celebration dinner at Ohio State University in Columbus, marking the 50th anniversary of retired senator-astronaut John Glenn's historic flight aboard Friendship 7. It was one of the last high-profile public events Armstrong attended.

(Bill Ingalls / NASA via Getty Images) Share Back to slideshow navigation Editor's note: This image contains graphic content that some viewers may find disturbing. Click to view the image, or use the buttons above to navigate away. This image contains graphic content that some viewers may find disturbing. Click to view the image, or use the buttons above to navigate away. This image contains graphic content that some viewers may find disturbing. Click to view the image, or use the buttons above to navigate away. BBC ON THIS DAY | 21 | 1969: Man takes first steps on the Moon 1969: Man takes first steps on the Moon American Neil Armstrong has become the first man to walk on the Moon. The astronaut stepped onto the Moon's surface, in the Sea of Tranquility, at 0256 GMT, nearly 20 minutes after first opening the hatch on the Eagle landing craft. Armstrong had earlier reported the lunar module's safe landing at 2017 GMT with the words: "Houston, Tranquility Base here.

The Eagle has landed." As he put his left foot down first Armstrong declared: "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." He described the surface as being like powdered charcoal and the landing craft left a crater about a foot deep. 'We came in peace' The historic moments were captured on television cameras installed on the Eagle and turned on by Armstrong. Armstrong spent his first few minutes on the Moon taking photographs and soil samples in case the mission had to be aborted suddenly. He was joined by colleague Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin at 0315 GMT and the two collected data and performed various exercises - including jumping across the landscape - before planting the Stars and Stripes flag at 0341 GMT. They also unveiled a plaque bearing President Nixon's signature and an inscription reading: "Here men from the planet Earth first set foot upon the Moon July 1969 AD. We came in peace for all mankind." After filming their experience with a portable television camera the astronauts received a message from the US President.

President Nixon, in the White House, spoke of the pride of the American people and said: "This certainly has to be the most historic telephone call ever made." Many other nations - including the UK - sent messages of congratulation. Moscow Radio announced the news solemnly in its 1030 GMT broadcast. As Aldrin and Armstrong collected samples, Michael Collins told mission control in Houston he had successfully orbited the Moon in the mother ship Columbia, and take-off was on schedule for 1750 GMT this evening.

Question: Which US president greeted astronauts Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins and Buzz Aldrin when they got back from the moon?
Answer: Richard Nixon