Apollo 11

For every nation, there comes a time when they achieve a milestone. In the case of the United States of America, that milestone changed the future of the whole world. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration was created in 1958 on official levels, but before that, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics had existed since 1915. When President Eisenhower created NASA, he stated that the main focus would be to pursue peaceful applications in space science. Landing a man on the moon? That was on the agenda as well, but it was still a far-fetched thought at the time.

However, all those dreams and far- fetched thoughts turned in to reality on the 20th of July in 1969, when Apollo 11 became the first spacecraft, piloted by men, to land on the surface of the moon. Six hours later, Neil Armstrong, a name that is forever remembered in the history of America, made his first step on the surface of the moon. His iconic first line: ‘A small step for man, a giant leap for mankind’, still echo throughout the Agency’s history.

The launch took place after rigorous planning and preparations, and it was by no means an easy experience for all those who were concerned. The Soviet Union at the time was also building its own rockets to travel to the moon, and was rapidly engineering different ways by which they could carry, and safely bring back, men to and from the moon. The rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union was something that the whole world knew about, so it had become a matter of personal pride for the President at the time to ensure that America became the first nation to land on the moon.

On the 16th of July, 1969, at the Kennedy Space Center, the whole world stood in awe and amazement; millions watching from their television screens while thousands were present in person at the viewing fields to watch the Saturn V rocket take off. The rocket, which housed the lunar modules as well as the command and service module also provided sanctum to three astronauts; Neil Armstrong, the flight commander, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins.

For three days, the spaceship travelled, finally landing on the moon on the 20th of July. At the time when the spaceship landed, they were left with barely enough fuel to re- launch from the surface of the moon. The whole event was broadcast on live television, and it shook the hearts of even the coldest hearted people. There had been a number of tragedies leading up to this achievement; the fiery deaths of Roger Chaffee, Ed White and Virgil Grissom being the most prominent. Neil Armstrong’s words echoed over the airwaves as the Apollo 11 descended upon the surface of the moon, ‘We came in peace for all mankind.’ And the fact that America saw this through showcased everything that’s positive about the country; hard work, dedication, devotion, commitment to the cause and finally, achievement!