Remembering the historic launch to the moon 50 years ago today
(CNN) — Tuesday is the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11’s historic mission to the moon.
Fifty years ago on July 16th, the Saturn-V Rocket launched from Kennedy Space Center and sent Apollo 11 into orbit. Four days later, on July 20th, 1969 two men, Neil Armstrong, and Buzz Aldrin, were the first Americans to set foot on the surface of the moon.
(Apollo 11’s crew is pictured in May 1969, the month 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. (Image Courtesy: NASA/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
(Apollo 11's crew is pictured in May 1969, the month 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. Image Courtesy: NASA/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
According to ABC, before the actual launch, Armstrong was asked if he would make a prepared statement once he reached the moon, if he have one prepared for him, or if it would be a spontaneous statement, to which Armstrong replied,
“Attention now has been focused on how to do the job and how to do it fast, and not so much with what might be the emotions of the moment. I think that would be impossible to predict.”
(Apollo 11 was launched into space by a Saturn V rocket on July 16, 1969. (Image Courtesy: Ralph Morse/The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images)
(Apollo 11 was launched into space by a Saturn V rocket on July 16, 1969. Image Courtesy: Ralph Morse/The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images)
After making the 240,000 mile trek in more than 70 hours, Apollo 11 entered into a lunar orbit. The next day, Armstrong and Aldrin reached their destination. The first to exit the space craft was Armstrong who did in fact have something to say to the American people gathered around their televisions watching a moment etched in history.
(Armstrong works outside the Eagle module shortly after becoming the first man to step foot on the lunar surface. There aren’t that many photos of Armstrong on the moon. That’s because he was the one taking most of the photos. Image Courtesy: NASA/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
(Armstrong works outside the Eagle module shortly after becoming the first man to step foot on the lunar surface. There aren't that many photos of Armstrong on the moon. That's because he was the one taking most of the photos. Image Courtesy: NASA/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
That barely audible quote still lives on today where Armstrong spoke saying,
“That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”
(An astronaut’s boot print on the lunar surface. Image Courtesy: NASA/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
print on the lunar surface. Image Courtesy: NASA/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
This, cementing their time on the moon and a moment in history.
