Take a look back at the historic Moon mission on its 54th anniversary.
Buzz Aldrin photographed by Neil Armstrong, early during the Apollo 11.
On July 16, 1969, Apollo 11 launched from Cape Kennedy in Florida with astronauts Buzz Aldrin, Michael Collins and Neil Armstrong aboard. On July 20, the Lunar Module, Eagle, landed in the Sea of Tranquility on the Moon. That evening, Armstrong left the module, followed by Aldrin 20 minutes later, changing the course of human history by being the first people on the Moon.
One of the crew’s objectives was to take many photographs on the surface — both of lunar geology and their own scientific equipment, as well as anything that others back on Earth might find interesting. As a result, the mission is a visually magnificent voyage in both black and white and color.
Although a few photos of the trip come easily to mind, it’s hard to distill such an iconic journey into just a few pictures. For the 54th anniversary of those astronauts’ brave steps, here is an image gallery, taken from the NASA Apollo archives. These 30 stills provide a brief insight into the training, liftoff, Earth orbit, and of course, the Moon.
Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong participating in extravehicular activity (EVA) training to prepare for their spacewalk. The Saturn V rocket stack for Apollo 11 mission rolls out of the Vehicle Assembly Building down the 3.5 mile crawlerway to Launch Complex 39-A at a speed of one mile per hour.Michael Collins inspects a Command Module mockup during a training exercise.The Apollo 11 prime crew poses for a photograph during a prelaunch walkthrough egress test.The cameras designed for use on the Moon were attached to the chest area, giving Armstrong (pictured here) and Aldrin full use of their arms. The backpack provided oxygen, pressurization, and temperature control.Inside NASA during a countdown demonstration test. Apollo 11 lifts off in this image taken by an automatic camera on the launch tower.View of the Lunar Module during Transposition and Docking, prior to extraction from the S-IVB (third) stage, about three and a half hours into the mission…after Trans-lunar injection and leaving Earth oribtView of the Earth from Apollo 11 during the translunar coast phase, about ten hours into the mission. The spacecraft, with the Lunar Module now extracted and the S-IVB stage discarded, was already about 56,000 miles (90,000 km) from the Earth when this photo was taken. This view of the Command and Service Modules was taken from the Lunar Module Eagle after undocking and just prior to beginning the powered descent to the lunar surface.Buzz Aldrin on day 3 of the Apollo 11 mission, in the Lunar Module during its checkout en route to the Moon. Buzz is on the left side of the cabin (where Armstrong would stand during the lunar landing) and is placing a pair of sunglasses in his jacket’s arm pocket.This is Neil Armstrong’s first Hasselblad photograph on the Moon at the beginning of the Apollo 11 EVA, which was the beginning of a panoramic sequence. In the foreground lies one of the jettison bags, which were used to the keep the cabin free of trash.Aldrin near the Lunar Module’s north footpad.Aldrin’s boot print left on the Moon. Aldrin deploys the Passive Seismic Experiment (PSE), the first lunar seismometer, designed to record moonquakes.Tranquility Base from the Lunar Module window.This oblique view of the crater Mandel’shtam_F was taken from the Command Module in lunar orbit.Crater Anville in northern Mare Fecunditatis.Craters Messier (upper left) and Messier A (lower right).Crater Crookes and, at lower left, Crookes D. The rim of Doppler is on extreme left. The southwestern rim of the Korolev Basin runs from Doppler to the lower right of the frame.Lunar craters. Craters Maskelyne and Maskelyne B on Mare Tranquillitatis. Boot Hill and Duke Island lie at top left.Lunar impact craters Green M and P. Looking south from Tranquility Base. The Lunar Module performs a roll as the Earth rises in the background.Earthrise over Mare Smythii.The Lunar Module from the window of the Command Module.This shot of the Moon was taken after Apollo 11 set a course back to Earth. Mare Crisium is left of center.The crew of Apollo 11 took this shot of our home planet from Earth orbit.
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