Table of Contents
Apollo 11
Mission
Apollo 11 was the spaceflight mission that landed the first humans on the Moon.1)
Crew
The crew of Apollo 11 consisted of Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins.2)
Kennedy Space Center
The mission launched from Kennedy Space Center on July 16, 1969.3)
Lunar Module
Apollo 11's lunar module was named “Eagle.”4)
Neil Armstrong
Neil Armstrong was the mission commander and became the first person to walk on the Moon.5)
Buzz Aldrin
Buzz Aldrin, the lunar module pilot, joined Armstrong on the lunar surface, making him the second person to walk on the Moon.6)
Michael Collins
Michael Collins, the command module pilot, remained in lunar orbit aboard the command module “Columbia” while Armstrong and Aldrin descended to the Moon.7)
Travelled Distance
The Apollo 11 spacecraft traveled a distance of approximately 240,000 miles (386,000 kilometers) to reach the Moon.8)
8 Days
The Apollo 11 mission lasted a total of eight days, three hours, 18 minutes, and 35 seconds.9)
Armstrong's Quote
Neil Armstrong's famous quote when he first stepped onto the lunar surface was, “That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”10)
First Words From The Moon
The first words spoken from the Moon were, “Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed.”11)
Landing
The lunar module Eagle landed on the Moon's surface on July 20, 1969, at 20:17 UTC.12)
First Moonwalk
The first moonwalk lasted approximately two and a half hours.13)
Soil And Rock
The astronauts collected samples of lunar soil and rock during their moonwalks, totaling around 47 pounds (21.5 kilograms).14)
American Flag On The Lunar Surface
The American flag was planted on the lunar surface during the Apollo 11 mission.15)
Return Capsule
Apollo 11's return capsule, the command module Columbia, splashed down in the Pacific Ocean on July 24, 1969, at 16:50 UTC.16)
Moon Germs?
The three astronauts were immediately placed in quarantine upon their return to Earth to ensure they didn't bring back any potential Moon germs.17)
5h Human Spaceflight
Apollo 11 was the fifth human spaceflight mission of NASA's Apollo program.18)
Cost
The total cost of the Apollo 11 mission was estimated to be around $25 billion in 1969 dollars.19)
Kennedy's Goal
The Apollo 11 mission marked the fulfillment of President John F. Kennedy's goal of landing humans on the Moon before the end of the 1960s.20)
Saturn V
The Saturn V rocket, which launched Apollo 11, was the most powerful rocket ever built.21)
Televised
The Apollo 11 mission was televised, allowing millions of people around the world to witness the historic event.22)
First Meal On Moon
The first meal eaten on the Moon by Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin consisted of bacon squares, peaches, sugar cookie cubes, coffee, and pineapple-grapefruit drink.23)
Buzz Aldrin Photo
The iconic photo of Buzz Aldrin standing on the Moon's surface was taken by Neil Armstrong.24)
Lunar Module With Quote
Apollo 11 carried a plaque on the lunar module that read, “Here men from the planet Earth first set foot upon the Moon, July 1969 A.D. We came in peace for all mankind.”25)
Ascent Stage Crashed
The lunar module's ascent stage, which lifted off from the Moon's surface to dock with the command module, was intentionally crashed onto the Moon to allow scientists to study the impact.26)
Lunar Samples From Another Celestial Body
The Apollo 11 mission marked the first time that humans brought back lunar samples from another celestial body.27)
8 Minutes of Silence
The Apollo 11 astronauts experienced a total of eight minutes of silence during their mission when they were behind the Moon and out of contact with Earth.28)
Overloaded Computer Guidance
The lunar module's landing was almost aborted due to computer alarms triggered by the guidance computer being overloaded.29)
Armstrong's Heart Rate
Neil Armstrong's heart rate during the lunar landing was around 150 beats per minute.30)