Apollo 11

Apollo 11 marked the first time humans had set foot on a world besides our own. The mission launched on July 16, 1969, from Kennedy Space Station in Florida with commander Neil Armstrong, lunar module pilot Dr. Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin, and command module pilot Michael Collins, with the latter orbiting the Moon while the “moonwalks” were taking place. At 20:17 UTC on July 20, Armstrong became the first human to step onto the lunar surface after landing the lunar module “Eagle” using manual controls during the last few moments of the descent. Armstrong’s words, “One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind,” preceded a two-and-a-half-hour-long stay on the Moon.