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Stunning Photos of the Apollo 11 Moon Landing

Lauren Newman03 mins

The Historic Apollo 11 Mission

Fifty-five years ago, Neil Armstrong and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin made history when they became the first humans to set foot on the moon.

Their mission, Apollo 11, was considered an American victory in the Cold War and subsequent space race, meeting President John F. Kennedy’s ambitious goal of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the Earth.

More than half a billion people are estimated to have watched on television as Armstrong climbed down the ladder of the Eagle lunar lander and famously proclaimed, “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”

Apollo 11's crew is pictured before the launch.
Apollo 11’s crew is pictured before the launch. From left are Armstrong, Michael Collins, and Aldrin. Collins piloted the command module that orbited the moon, while Armstrong and Aldrin spent time on the surface.
A Saturn V rocket launched Apollo 11 into space on July 16, 1969.
A Saturn V rocket launched Apollo 11 into space on July 16, 1969.
Former US President Lyndon B. Johnson and then-Vice President Spiro Agnew were among those watching the launch at Florida's Kennedy Space Center.
Former US President Lyndon B. Johnson and then-Vice President Spiro Agnew were among those watching the launch at Florida’s Kennedy Space Center.

Journey to the Moon

The mission took the crew 76 hours to travel the 240,000 miles from Earth to the moon. The Apollo 11 spacecraft consisted of two modules: the command module, Columbia, and the lunar module, Eagle.

The Apollo 11 spacecraft consisted of a command module, Columbia, and a lunar module, Eagle.
This image, taken from the Eagle lunar module, shows the Columbia command module pulling away near the lunar surface.
Armstrong works outside the Eagle module shortly after becoming the first man to step foot on the lunar surface.
Armstrong works outside the Eagle module shortly after becoming the first man to step foot on the lunar surface.

Historic Achievement

Armstrong and Aldrin spent a little over two hours collecting rock samples and conducting experiments on the moon’s surface. They left behind a plaque that reads: “Here men from the planet Earth first set foot upon the moon, July 1969 A.D. We came in peace for all mankind.”

Aldrin walks on the surface of the moon.
Aldrin walks on the surface of the moon, collecting samples and data near the Sea of Tranquility.

Celebration of Success

Following the mission, the astronauts were celebrated as heroes. Their successful return marked an important milestone in space exploration.

NASA officials and flight controllers celebrate the successful conclusion of the mission.
NASA officials and flight controllers celebrate the successful conclusion of the mission.


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