Neil Armstrong Becomes First Man to Walk on the Moon
“That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong uttered this now famous phrase as he took man’s first step on the Moon. It was a defining moment in American and world history, and set us on the path for decades of space exploration.
The culmination of the Space Race with the Soviet Union, the Apollo 11 mission launched from Florida on July 16. Four days later, Armstrong set his foot on the Moon at 10:56 p.m. E.D.T, as the world watched through a live television feed.
Fellow astronaut Buzz Aldrin described the surface as “magnificent desolation.” In addition to the landing, the three-man team had other duties to carry out. These included planting the American flag, collecting rock and dust samples, and taking photographs.
On July 24, Apollo 11 safely returned to Earth, completing late President John F. Kennedy’s 1961 vision that had inspired the mission. America had effectively won the Space Race, and was ready to embark on a new era in space exploration.
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These daily historical vignettes are great. Is there any way to automate them as an e-mail blast to the folks that are interested, rather than having them go to your website first? That would make things even more convenient. Thanks for considering this, and, yes, please do keep up the “This Day in History” program. It’s fun, and educational.
I like the day in history feature