Apollo 11 Moon Landing : Astonauts welcomed back

Thursday, July 10, 2025

Apollo 11 Moon Landing

Apollo 11 takes off

First landing on moon: Apollo 11 (AS-506) - with astronauts Neil A. Armstrong, Michael Collins, and Edwin E. Aldrin, Jr., aboard - was launched from Pad A, Launch Complex 39, KSC, at 9:32 a.m. EDT July 16, 1969.The Apollo 11 astronauts who became the first men to walk on the Moon, had split over whether to send missions to Mars. July 20 2012, marked as the 43rd anniversary of the first ever moonwalk.

A view of Earth rising over Moon`s horizon

The spacecraft entered lunar orbit at 1:28 p.m. EDT on July 19. During the second lunar orbit, a live color telecast of the lunar surface was made. The astronauts took a view of the Earth rising over Moon`s horizon taken from Apollo 11 spacecraft.

Lunar Module toched the Moon`s surface

The LM touched down on the moon at 4:18 p.m. EDT July 20. At the dawn of a two-week lunar day, Edwin Aldrin strides across a small crater near one of Eagle`s foil-wrapped landing probes. A few hours earlier the men had flashed the words that thrilled a waiting world: "Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed." While Armstrong and Aldrin explore the surface, Michael Collins keeps lonely vigil in Columbia, Apollo 11`s command module orbiting the moon.

Astronauts walk on Moon

Footprint on the virgin moon marks fulfillment of an age-old dream, which was made a national objective by President John F. Kennedy on May 25, 1961. Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin set foot on the moon`s firm, granular surface 5 months and 11 days before the end of the 1960`s. Aldrin descends steps of Lunar Module ladder to walk on moon.

Neil Armstrong and Edwin E Aldrin raised American Flag on Moon

The toughest moonwalk task for the astronauts was to plant the American flag. NASA`s studies suggested that the lunar soil was soft, but Armstrong and Aldrin found the surface to be a thin wisp of dust over hard rock. Neil A. Armstrong and Edwin E. Aldrin managed to drive the flagpole a few inches into the ground on the Sea of Tranquility, July 20, 1969. An automatic sequence camera made the photograph.

Seismic unit placed on Moon

Ready to check the pulse of the moon, the seismic unit—four seismometers in one—is powered by solar panels and has nuclear heaters to help it withstand frigid lunar nights. Aldrin returns to Eagle after setting up the instrument, which is so sensitive it can detect pea-size meteorites hitting the moon half a mile away. Laser reflector, behind the seismic unit, bounces narrow light beams back to earth so physicists can measure earth-moon distances precisely.

Eagle lifted off from the moon

The Eagle lifted off from the moon at 1:54 p.m. EDT July 21, having spent 21 hours 36 minutes on the lunar surface. It docked with the CSM at 5:35 p.m. and the crew, with the lunar samples and film, transferred to the CSM. The LM ascent stage was jettisoned into lunar orbit. The crew then rested and prepared for the return trip to the earth.

Apollo 11`s command module splashed down in the Pacific Ocean

At 12:15 p.m. EDT July 24 the Apollo 11`s command module Columbia splashed down in the mid-Pacific, about 24 kilometers from the recovery ship U.S.S. Hornet. All primary mission objectives and all detailed test objectives of Apollo 11 were met, and all crew members remained in good health.

Astronauts transfering to a hovering helicopter

Cocooned in BIG`s (biological isolation garments) to guard against the possibility of bringing back lunar micro-organisms, the astronauts transfer to a hovering helicopter that will shuttle them to the recovery ship U.S.S. Hornet. As a frogman snaps pictures, far right, Aldrin boosts Collins aloft on a hoist. Balloons that righted the craft when it capsized after splashdown bob gaily above a flotation collar.

Astonauts welcomed back

For the astronauts it is a simple walk-on role as they stride from the helicopter onto Hornet`s deck, heading for quarantine.

By Deeksha Ahuja