40th anniversary Moon Walk
By Kem Knapp Sawyer
July 22, 2009
Editor’s Note: Apollo 11 Astronaut Buzz Aldrin’s bootprint. Aldrin photographed this bootprint on July 20, 1969, as part of investigations into the soil of the moon’s surface. (Photo: NASA)
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One million people watched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida as the ship’s engines fired and flames and smoke filled the sky. At 9:32 a.m., on July 16, 1969, Apollo 11 lifted off.
Three astronauts, Neil Armstrong, Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin, and Michael Collins, were on board the spaceship—and on their way into history. Armstrong and Aldrin would become the first humans to set foot on the moon.
On Their Way
After blastoff, Armstrong, Aldrin, and Collins settled into the command module, the part of the spacecraft called the Columbia. On July 19, three days after liftoff, the astronauts saw the moon up close for the first time.
Armstrong and Aldrin boarded the Eagle, the lunar module. That part of the spacecraft would separate from the Columbia and take them to the moon. Collins was to remain behind to pilot the Columbia.
When the lunar module undocked from the Columbia, Armstrong radioed to Earth: “The Eagle has wings.”
Moon Trek
Finding a clear spot on which to land took longer than Armstrong and Aldrin had expected. Eagle was running dangerously low on fuel by the time the astronauts found a good site for the touchdown. There were only 30 seconds to spare when the Eagle finally landed.
Armstrong was first to descend the ladder to the lunar surface. As he stepped onto the moon, he said: “That’s one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind.” About 600 million people worldwide watched on television as he took that step.
Aldrin soon joined Armstrong. The astronauts spent 2 hours and 14 minutes on the moon. During that time, the astronauts took photographs of the moon’s surface. They also set up scientific experiments, including one to test for moonquakes.
Before heading back to the Columbia, Aldrin and Armstrong placed a U.S. flag in the ground. With it they left a plaque that read, “We came in peace for all mankind.”
After reconnecting with Collins at Columbia, the three astronauts headed back to Earth. On July 24, Columbia splashed down in the Pacific Ocean, returning everyone safely.
Everyone’s Success
Putting men on the moon was a huge accomplishment for America. The success of Apollo 11 increased our knowledge of the moon, sun, and Earth, and helped pave the way for future space exploration for all humanity. Aldrin believes that’s the point. “The ultimate goal of human and robotic activity in space is to benefit mankind,” he told Scholastic News.
The mission’s success was a result of teamwork. More than 400,000 people—from flight directors and teachers to space-suit designers—played a role in it.
Chris Kraft was the director of Mission Control at the time. Gene Kranz was the flight director in charge of Apollo 11. Both men take tremendous pride in the mission—and speak with great anticipation of the possibilities that lie ahead.
Kraft foresees a time when nations will band together to build a permanent station on the moon. America’s space agency, NASA, has a similar vision. It has plans for a moon base and even human missions to Mars.
Kranz wants young people to become aware of the many opportunities in the space program. To those who show an interest, he offers five words of advice: “Dream. Aim high. Never surrender.”
Source: Scholastic News Online