07/20/2026
FIRST MAN ON THE MOON
On July 20, 1969, the Apollo 11 Lunar Module Eagle successfully landed on the Moon, and American astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans to walk on the lunar surface. Armstrong made his historic first steps at 20:17 UTC, famously declaring, "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind".
The mission, which launched on July 16, 1969, achieved the primary goal set by President John F. Kennedy in 1961. During their time on the Moon, Armstrong and Aldrin spent over 21 hours on the lunar surface—with Command Module Pilot Michael Collins remaining in lunar orbit—before safely returning to Earth, ultimately splashing down in the Pacific Ocean on July 24.